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ADIRONDACK ATV CLUB LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Hello and greetings from the Adirondack ATV Club. We are excited for the New Year and hope it brings us all together again for a safe and eventful year. I know many have questions regarding the new trail policy within Lewis County and the Tug Hill Riding. I ask that you check out the website for additional information pertaining to the changes and development of trail maps. You can expect to see them available for purchase in April 2009. For our Club we have put together a solid calendar of events for all involved. You will find it’s very similar to last year’s events excluding the new additional concept of racing events during each month on our Club grounds. We have budgeted ourselves to construct a new restroom facility on our grounds. They will be located by the Club house for use and hopefully accommodate racers, spectators alike. I can tell you that we have lots of work to do for spring clean-up so plan on coming out and supporting the Club. You may see the scheduled dates for clean-up posted on our website: www.adirondackatvclub.org. I would like to thank everyone whom volunteered and supported our many events last year. We hosted a number of events without incident, and culminated the year with a magnificent banquet held at the Harrisville Fire Department. I expect to see some new faces supporting the events this year. Its fun, supports our local community, and gives the ATV Industry something to do for minimal fee. The next part of the news letter pertains to the Lewis County Trail System. Many have voiced their concerns with the prices for this newly developed system. I too was very concerned when the price originally was $80.00 per machine. I ask that we all consider the use of the money and think long term in both impacts to the sport and maintenance of the trails systems. TRAIL PERMITS A couple of months ago we asked our members for their opinion on a Trail Permit and we really appreciated your comments and passed them on to the county. A public hearing was held, they listened to everyone’s comments and the permits will be $40 for associated club members and $80 for non members and a family permit will be seriously discussed because a majority of our memberships are family. There are still a few bugs to be ironed out yet. If things go right the permits will be ready the 1st. of May. Right now it will be $40 per machine if you belong to the Tug Hill ATV Association and $80 if you do not. Just like the Snowmobile permits the only difference is not a nickel goes to the state. The money will be put back into trail maintenance, law enforcement, education some will go to the county to recoup what was put in for the lawsuits. As time goes on and we get more trails and more counties to join in there will also be family and weekend rates. The county may sell permits at designated outlets and through a secure Internets site. Landowners that allow trails on their property will receive a free permit, and permits will not be required on ATV’s used by county or state agencies. People riding on the system (trails on private and county land) without a permit will be subject to a $100 fine for the first offense and $200 fine and one-year future permit revocation for the second. This does not include county and seasonal roads. This permit requirement will be enforce only on private and county land, in part by setting up checkpoints at different locations each day. However ATV patrols will ride throughout the entire system, including roads, to enforce state and county laws. Youths from the age of 10 to 16 will be allowed on the system only if they are under supervision of a parent or guardian or someone 18 yrs or older and have successfully completed an ATV safety course. Riders 16 yrs and up will be allowed on the system without need to be supervised. But parents remind them that it is a privilege to ride this system. Abuse it and we lose it. This rule also goes for adults as well. The speed limit will be set at 25 mph, unless otherwise posted, with violators subject to fines as prescribed in the state Vehicle and Traffic law. Other fines would be as follows: · Riding on land outside prescribed trails-$250 for the first offense, machine impounded following recurring offenses. · Altering trails to create bogs or other hazards -$250 for first offense, $500 thereafter. · Violating Traffic Rules - $100 for the first offense, $200 thereafter. Riders with charged offenses covered under state law would be subject to the additional fines as prescribed under state statutes as well. All rules can be enforced by the county Sheriff’s Dept. or any other police officer, peace officer or special patrol. The proposed laws would authorize the trail coordinator, in consultation with the conservation foreman, to develop trails on county reforestation land. Trails are commended to be created in the Towns of New Breman, Pinkney, Montague, Lyonsdale and Greg. Between 70 and 75 private landowners have agreed to allow the Tug Hill Adirondacks ATV Association to develop trails on their properties, with the association and Lewis County providing the liability insurance and hold harmless agreement with the landowners . Now as I mentioned before it is all up to us as ATV riders to respect these rules if we want to keep our trail system. I know a few of you are not happy about the amount of the permit fees but we have to start somewhere and the money is NOT GOING to the State unlike the snowmobile riders. With the amount of trails we have and there are more to come we need the funds and the county needs some funding to offset the legal fees procured for the lawsuits with the DEC. So remember it is $40 per machine if you join the club/ association and $80 if you do not join. When you join a club you are automatically joined with the Tug Hill Adirondacks ATV Assoc. Also remember that all the Counties surrounding Lewis County are now working toward the same ultimate goal…the connection of an ATV system interconnecting 5 counties and all the communities in between. This trail permit will be extended to include Oneida, Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties. What we are building is a massive ATV system throughout northern NY. Please be a part of it and support the systems beginning by buying a permit. We have road riding, off road riding, reforestation trails, and the first and ONLY ATV PLAY AREA IN NYS. Where you must have a permit to ride in and get dirty. That’s worth the permit alone. MAPS Maps will be full size and ready for the riding season next month (April). The cost will be $6.00 including postage. · Finally, I would like to thank the many members that supported us during 2008. Without you and the other volunteers the safe and exciting events would not have happened. I challenge others to come out and volunteer to support the events during 2009. We can plan more rides this year due to the hard work in establishing new trails throughout Lewis and St Lawrence Counties. Please check out our calendar and hope to see you there. Gene Spencer Club President References:
Trail System Permit Form and Map of Club Locations Tug Hill ATV Club Newsletter DEC Roads/Trails Closed List
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