October 8, 2013

Snowmobile North Dakota

Board of Directors Meeting

October 8, 2013

 

The Snowmobile North Dakota Board of Directors held a meeting via Webinar on October 8, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Present Board Members:  Laura Forbes – President, Marty Malachowski – Past President, Dale Deibert, Byron Norsby, Mark Shipley, Troy Klevgard and Kristie Thone. Sheri Hoffmann – Vice President and Perry Brintnell joined later in the call.

Absent: Brain Sauer and Tonia Dosch–excused & Brad Rodin and Dan Tveito–unexcused.

Others Present: Matt Gardner & Erik Dietrich – NDPRD, Keri Wanner – Executive Director & Tari Norby – Administrative Specialist – SND.

  1. A.      Call to Order – President Laura Forbes called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.

 

  1. B.      Approve Agenda
    1. Byron made motion to approve the agenda, Marty second. Motion approved.

 

  1. C.      Approve Minutes
    1. June  19, 2013:  Marty made motion to approve, Dale second. Motion approved.

 

  1. D.      Financial Reports – August 2013
    1. Troy made a motion to file the financial reports, Kristie second. Motion approved.

 

  1. E.       Reports
    1. a.       President Report:

i.      Laura wants the board to think about going in front of the 2015 legislation about allowing kids to go into bars (along the snowmobile trail) with parents and being out by 8:00 pm. Laura knows there are others states that allow this and will do more research on the topic.

ii.      International Ride is the same weekend as SnowJam (February 15, 2014). Hopefully if people can’t attend one event they will attend the other.

  1. b.      Office Report:

i.      Marketing Statistics:

  1. SND Facebook:  Total of 884 likes on 10/8/13 (weekly reach 700)
  2. Sno-Dak Facebook:  Total of 582 likes as of 10/8/13 (weekly reach 1,700)
  3. www.Issuu.com:  Weekly reach 800 
  4. Website:  Weekly reach 3,200
    1. Most Viewed Pages:
      1.                                                                                                                                        i.      Trail Conditions
      2.                                                                                                                                      ii.      Sno-Dak News
      3.                                                                                                                                     iii.      About Us
      4. Constant Contact:  1,146 Contacts
        1. Most Viewed Emails:
          1.                                                                                                                                        i.      Sled’N Snap Press Release (31%)
          2.                                                                                                                                      ii.      September Newsletter (27%)
          3.                                                                                                                                     iii.      October 2013 Sno-Dak News (26%)
          4.                                                              ii.      Sno-Dak News:
            1. Total SND Office Sales:  $20,375.96; Total L.B.L. Printing Sales $1,794.38 (L.B.L. Printing 25% = $448.59, SND’s 75% $1,345.79)
            2. Product Trade valued at $1,000 for convention silent auction table
            3. Ski-Doo and Arctic Cat Manufacturers pulled out their advertising dollars with us. We have been working with the ND dealers from both and Ski-Doo dealers purchased a full page ad in every issue. Keri is in the process of contacting all the ND Arctic Cat Dealers.
            4.                                                             iii.      13-14 Membership Information: 
              1. 12 individual/family memberships (non-affiliated)
              2. 12 associate/business memberships (non-affiliated)
              3. No club memberships received as of yet, club membership mailing was sent in September
              4. Online membership is set to go live in late October
              5.                                                            iv.      Hay Days & Expo’s Updates:  handed out materials and secured names for potential advertisers 
              6.                                                              v.      Safety/Enforcement Program Update: 
                1. 400 safety bags completed & 200 enforcement folders completed
                2. Starting to schedule snowmobile classes & develop Constant Contact e-newsletter
                3. Earlier this summer Keri sent out RFP’s to all four manufacturers asking for a newer snowmobile for the safety simulator. We heard back from Polaris and Keri is now working with Action Sports here in Mandan on getting a new sled.
                4. If any clubs are hosting events and would like the safety simulator there please contact the office to get it scheduled. There will be simulator training at the convention for those interested.  
                5.                                                            vi.      Trail Map Update: need to reorder maps
                  1. There will be a map printed for the International trail, since the trail was approved as a temporary bases as the June meeting.
                  2.                                                           vii.      Guideline Book Updates: 
                    1. SND Guidelines:  completed and uploaded to website
                    2. SNDTP Guidelines:  changes presented during meeting, provide changes by 10/25/13
                    3. Sign Guidelines:  still don’t have IASA final draft of the new guidelines, if the final draft is not completed by the end of October, changes will be made in the current SNDTP Sign Guidelines book based on the changes approved in June of 2013.
                      1. Keri got the okay from the board, if the IASA sign guidelines aren’t completed by the end of October to start making changes to the current sign guidelines book based on the changes from the June meeting.
                      2. The board has until 10/25/13 to get any changes they have to the office.
                      3.                                                         viii.      Get Registered Campaign/Results:  registrations up 5% as of August 2013
                        1. Keri talked about the second DOT mailing. She has been working with Foremost Insurance so SND will have no cost into the mailing.
                        2. Keri has been working with our website provider on to make a page to the snowmobile PSA’s downloadable from the website.
                        3. Working with NDPRD on a press release and sending copies of the video’s to the media.

 

  1. c.       NDPRD:

i.      Matt talked about how they are excited about the “Get Registered” Campaign and hopes it brings in more registered sleds.

ii.      Erik talked about how registration numbers are up and hope to have September numbers soon.

iii.      Safety classes are starting to get scheduled, contact Tari to schedule a class in your area.

iv.      Make sure to send any snowmobile event dates to Tari by December 1st so Erik can schedule enforcement.

  1. Include week day events or runs.

v.      The seasonal trail crew started working for the Department this week.

  1. They will be in Lake Metigoshe at the end of October to start working on clearing up trails within the state park and some of the snowmobile trail.
  2. Contact SND if any areas need help next season.

vi.      Marty asked if any equipment is available to use.

  1. Matt – Equipment is available on a case by case basis but needs to be worked out through the Department.
    1. Chainsaws, hand tools, pole saw, ect.

 

  1. Committee Reports
    1. Equipment Committee:
  1.                                                                i.      Groomer has been ordered, Track will deliver it to Devils Lake in early November, then will fix up the 2008 Tucker and deliver it to Leeds.
  2.                                                              ii.      Mark attended the Track school this month.
  3.                                                             iii.      Sign orders should be in the office soon. Keri and Tari will start packing club orders and will have them ready to be picked up at the office and will have them at the convention.
  4.                                                            iv.      Snowpoles won’t be in till the end of the month. The new company we ordered from had product delay. Clubs will be contacted when they will be ready for pick up from the office or they will be at the convention also.
  5.                                                                i.      Will have the “Of The Year” plaques ready for the convention.
  6. G.     Old Business
    1. a.       Cattail Trail Update:
    1. Budget Committee:  No Report
    2. Regulations Committee:  No Report
    3. Awards & Nominations Committee:
    1. Trail Operations Committee:  No Report

i.      An appeal process was adopted in the SNDTP Guidelines book

ii.      Cattail was sent a letter on August 1st, informing them about the appeal process

iii.      SND office did receive an appeal letter from the new president of the club on 9/26/13

iv.      The board requested to have a meeting with the Cattail Trail before the convention to discuss the appeal.  Keri will make arrangements.

  1. b.      2013 Action Plan (2013-2017 Strategic Plan):

i.      Keri brought up the document and talked about which objectives have been completed and which ones the office has been working on.

  1. c.       State Snowmobile Trail Grant Funding Program:

i.      Keri went over the new funding program that was adopted into the SNDTP Guideline book.  Please contact the office by October 25th with any changes.

  1. H.     New Business
    1. a.       2013-2014 Programs:

i.      Raffle Tickets: Contact SND office if anyone is interested in selling tickets

  1. ISMA has a “Take a Friend Snowmobiling” contest, where they hand out a grant to one club that hosts a ride to promote snowmobiling.
  2. To encourage snowmobile clubs to take part in this program, $1,000 from the raffle ticket sales will go to one club who participates in this program. Clubs will need to send the same application they do for ISMA to SND.  The SND Awards & Nominations Committee will determine the winner.
  3. 10 prizes will be given away this year, there are 2,000 tickets at $10 each.

ii.      Project Ride: The program has been changed up this season.  Last years program didn’t get as much participation because of the additional paperwork needed to determine who was recruiting the members; so this year it was changed to track by club versus by member.

  1. New members and renewed members that join by December 1 will have chance to win a vacation package to the Red River South trail system.
  2. Keri worked with the four manufacturers and received a gear bag from each manufacturer and will be giving the bags to four clubs. Deadline is April 1.
    1. If club “A” has 50 renew and 10 new members for the season they will have 60 chances at winning the bag.
    2. Club can use the bag however they want.

iii.      Sled’N Snap:  Program is to help encourage snowmobile registrations

  1. Participants have to have their snowmobiles registered to participate in the program.
  2. Non-resident passes will be accepted to participate in the program.  However, they are not eligible to win the trailer prizes do to different states trailer laws. They will be eligible for the other prizes given away for each photo category.

iv.      Poster Contest:  We are eliminating the poster contest this season.

  1. Even though poster numbers were up last season, the majority only came from one class from a school in Bismarck.

v.      Membership Rewards Program: We are eliminating this program  this season.

  1. Membership numbers are low and the program is costing SND more than its bringing in.
  2. b.      2013 Convention Update:

i.      Keri is working with Arctic Cat on getting a tour scheduled for Friday before the board meeting. A bus has been donated to take participants to the tour.

ii.      Went over a rough draft of the schedule. Will have the final schedule out once Keri hears back from Arctic Cat.

iii.      Keri is working with American Income Life Insurance on making the convention free for the kids.

  1. c.       State Ride Update:

i.      Will be held on February 8th, 2014 at Walhalla.

ii.      Keri will work on getting a meeting room booked for the Board meeting.

  1. d.      International Ride Update:

i.      Will be held on February 15th, 2014

ii.      Planning on inviting dignitaries from both North Dakota and Saskatchewan.

iii.      Keri and Tari are working on looking for hotels in the area.

iv.      Planning on doing a ride to the border and doing a ribbon cutting ceremony at the border and having a banquet.

  1. e.      Trail Pass – NDPRD:

i.      NDPRD is working on creating a Trail Pass for non- motorized trails outside of state parks and was asking SND for input on whether they would be interested in implementing a trail pass for Snowmobile Trails.

  1. Troy wanted some documentation about the possible trail pass plan. 
  2. I.        Adjournment: Motion made by Troy to adjourn, second by Marty, approved.

Respectfully Submitted by:
Tari Norby & Keri Wanner

On November 18, 2013   /   Minutes   /   Leave a comment
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