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NYSSA Online Magazine
(Continued from page 17)
Part of the Forum includes the presentation of the annual New York State Snowmobile Association Awards to Snowmobiler,
Family, Club, Groomer (x2) and Dealership of the Year. Gerry Ivison (Events and Promotions Committee
Chair) and several board members picked up this program last year and vastly improved it-with the assistance of
Video Mike Grant from Snow Trails TV (www.snowtrailstv.com) / 45 Video Productions. This year‟s presentation ceremony
should be better than ever! Award applications are available on our website and have been mailed to each
club. They must be received in the office no later than March 1, 2010.
I had a chance to talk with John Occhino, Chairman of the Budget Committee last week and it looks like we will be
presenting a balanced budget this year. We did some cost cutting/cost saving measures this year to include halving
the mileage reimbursement rate for Directors along with several other measures-as we continue to try to do more with
less. I wish New York State Government would learn from us!
We will be requesting your help on several fronts in the very near future-we will need you and everyone you know to
write letters to your elected officials decrying the Governor‟s nonsensical attempt to remove money from the Snowmobile
Trail Fund-money New York State is supposed to hold for us for trail building, maintenance and grooming. The
Governor promised us 2 years ago that this would not happen. Now he is penalizing us for New York State‟s fiscal
irresponsibility. We are one of the very few sports in New York State that can boast of a One Billion Dollar Annual
Economic Impact. We generate more money in sales tax dollars and other taxes collected than the total budget of
many other outdoor activities.
I‟d like to say hello to Katie Ivison (Gerry and Ginny Ivison‟s granddaughter). Katie, on behalf of NYSSA and our members-we
are all rooting for you and before you know it, you‟ll be back riding snowmobiles and to my friend, Marty
Blakely-I‟m keeping space available for you at the camp as soon as the Docs turn you loose. For all our members,
please stay safe, ride safe and I hope to see you in April if not during the season.
Contact NYSSA: PO Box 612, Long Lake, NY 12847-0612 * EMAIL - nyssaoffice@nysnowmobiler.com February, 2010 - Page 18
TOLL FREE: (888) 624-3849 * FAX: (518) 624-2441 * www.nysnowmobiler.com