NARRAGUAGUS SNOWMOBILE CLUB
Meeting Minutes
January 7, 2008
PRESENT: Harvey Chesley, Jake
& Velma Orcutt, Starr & Kelcy Yeaton, Mike & Debi Murphy, Harold Stoddard, Harry & June Rolfe, Charlie Corliss,
Zella Cox, Neil & Ellen Tenan, Jimmy Perry & son, Ray & Donna Young, Eugene Pomeroy, Donna Sawyer, and Frank Farren
Jr.
Mike called the meeting
to order following the potluck supper. New members were welcomed. Minutes of
the December meeting were read and a motion was made by Kelcy Yeaton, seconded by Harry Rolfe, that they be accepted as read. Motion carried. The Treasurer’s
report was presented and a motion was made by Harry Rolfe, seconded by Harold Stoddard, that it be accepted as presented. Motion carried.
E-mail correspondence
was received from MSA on LD-633 which is MSA’s registration/membership bill that a work session will be held on 1/8/08.
Harvey Chesley, President of MSA, and Director of Pine Tree Camp, presented
the club with a plaque for their $1200 donation last year to Pine Tree Camp. Snowmobilers
raise more money for the camp than any other organization in Maine. Last
year PTC raised enough funds to construct a handicap tree house, which they were able to open this year. In 2008 they plan to put in a new health center and office complex, with a fall groundbreaking being planned.
The camp schedule has been revamped to allow 300 more campers to participate in the summer camp.
Harvey noted that Roxanne
Quimby has been very supportive of snowmobilers and the latest agreement with her will permit snowmobilers access for their
trail across her land. Harvey
also spoke about LD-633. He plans to attend the work session on January 8th.
If passed, people who are not members of a snowmobile club will be paying $78 per sled to register their machines. If they are an MSA affiliated club member then it will only cost them $38 per sled. This is a good incentive for people to become club members. If
passed, this will not go into effect until the 2008-09 registration season. This
bill has come about from the survey that was sent out to all clubs last year.
There are currently
42 family members and 9 business members. A few new members have joined since
the last letter was sent out. Velma will order more membership cards to have
on hand at events and meetings for the rest of the year.
It was noted that
Cheryl Bagley passed away on Saturday morning. A card was passed around for all to sign. The service will be held at the VFW
in Harrington on Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. Donations will be taken at the
service to help with expenses as Cheryl was not able to get life insurance due to her illness.
Discussion followed on the club making a donation. Merton has always donated
when asked on club projects. A motion was made by Harry Rolfe, seconded by Warren
Orcutt, to donate $100. Motion carried.
The railroad bed
from Cherryfield to Harrington has been groomed several times and was good riding until the last two days of warm weather. The rails are now bare and will require more snow before they can be ridden. The trail to Schoodic barrens was also well groomed and a good ride. Signs still need to be put up in several areas. It was noted
that some of the signs have fallen down as they were not in the ground and only stuck in snow banks. Charlie noted that signage is very important, especially for people who are not familiar with the area. We would not want someone to get turned around and lost and have a similar situation
happen here that happened with the woman and her children in another part of the state.
Charlie reported
on the rail bed project. The bid package will be sent out nationwide next week for the rail removal and bed construction,
with a 12’ travel width wherever possible. Bridges will be doubled decked. The bid contract will be awarded in late March or early April, with work beginning
in May, with a recommendation that it begin in the Machias area, and the awardee will be given 18 months from start to finish. Once one section is completed it will be able to be used while another section is
being worked on. Mike asked who would be responsible for grooming this
area. Charlie stated that a municipal grant will be applied for to purchase the
needed grooming equipment (maybe two grants) as what clubs already have for grooming equipment is being used on the existing
trails. There are 5 snowmobile clubs within the railroad line. Just what part each of these will play still has to be determined.
Maintenance, once completed, will consist of mowing and brush removal, sign upkeep, and grading when needed.
The State groomer
is being used four times a week, Friday and Saturday nights, and Monday and Tuesday nights, at the present time.
Charlie has ordered
50 of the point of entry signs for the Cherryfield Barrens and other down east areas from the State. He also recommended that
two additional signs that can be acquired from MSA be put up.
The NSC club link
is now on the MSA web site for anyone who wants to access information on NSC.
Mike asked for volunteers
to assist with making signs for the parking lot to direct those who are parking to keep their vehicles and trailers to the
left as they pull into the clubhouse. No one volunteered to assist with this. This will be especially important if the clubhouse is rented or an event is taking
place, like the upcoming supper.
The next public supper
is scheduled for January 26th. Velma will send out letters to landowners,
along with a ticket for their meal, to encourage their attendance. This will
be a good time to recognize them and publicly thank them. The committee set up
the meal plans and who would prepare what.
A reminder was given
that calendar money should be turned in tonight. Super Raffle Ticket money will also need to be turned in before the next
meeting so that Jake will have time to mail them in before the drawing. (Harold paid for the 10 he took to sell. Other tickets distributed went to Kelcy (10), Starr (20), Debi (20), Harry (20), and Charlie (11).
If the snow remains
on the ground it might be nice to have the clubhouse open one day on the weekend so that those who want to come in and get
warm and have something to eat could do so. There are people who do not ride
who should be able to assist the club with this. Discussion followed and Mike
asked for volunteers to keep the clubhouse open. It was decided that we will
keep the club open on January 20th, 27th and February 3rd as a start and see how that goes. Starr will be responsible for the 20th, Debi & Mike for the 27th,
and Zella for February 3rd. Mike suggested that some type of soup
be available, along with whatever else anyone else would like to make. When the
clubhouse is open it will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mike asked for a
volunteer to assist with ordering the plaque for those who donated their time and equipment to work on the parking lot. June said she would take care of this if provided
with the wording that should be used. Suggested wording was provided.
Various fund raising
events were discussed, including a Poker Run, Fishing Derby, a Raffle and Auction,
and a golf tournament next summer. We need to be thinking about funds to do maintenance
on the clubhouse. The shingles need to be restained and it won’t be long
before we will need to replace the roof shingles. It would be good to have funds
already raised to do these projects when needed.
Velma will check
with the gaming commission to see what forms needs to be completed and submitted to allow for a Poker Run to be held. Members would like to hold this on February 17th from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Riders can register at the clubhouse, beginning at 8 a.m., pick up their first
card and then continue to three other stops and then return to the clubhouse for their final card. Charlie will head this up and will ask for volunteers to help him.
Velma will advertise this in the February MSA Snowmobilers and with the local newspapers and radio/tv stations.
Debi will check with
Brad Prout to see what needs to be done to schedule a golf tournament next summer and report back at a future meeting.
We will need to secure
a permit from Inland Fisheries & Wildlife if we want to hold a fishing derby.
Starr spoke about
a raffle and auction that the Cherryfield 8th grade class just completed and spoke about the large amount of money
that they raised.
It was suggested
that we need to schedule some club rides. Following discussion, it was decided
that Sundays would be a good day for this as there is always someone who wants to ride and this would provide a place and
time to meet each Sunday. January 20th, weather and trail conditions
permitting, was set and those wishing to go for a ride can plan to meet at the clubhouse at 9 a.m. and the ride will proceed
from there. Velma will put this in the local newspapers and it will also be put
on the website.
There being no further
business, the meeting adjourned.
Velma Orcutt, Secretary
