MSTAC Meeting April 8th

[lpm606]

The Next meeting of the Michigan Snowmobile and Trails Advisory Council is April 8th, 2014 from 10-3 at the RAM Center in Roscommon. Representative from Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association will be in attendance to voice our position on the issues presented. As always, the public is welcome at the meeting and has the option to make comments as well. We are hoping to have a significant presence at the meeting from our members and any Full Size 4WD users. See a brief explanation of the issues below. Meeting information can be found here: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dn...s_441972_7.pdf

One of the items that may be addressed at this meeting concerns SB50. Last year SB50 was approved, removing the need for users to fill out event permits as long as the event is being done in adherence with local statues, laws and policies.

Key Facts:
1. Per SB50 the DNR with help of MSTAC and interested parties was to put together a new policy within 90 days of SB50 passing. SB50 passed the end of Sept 2013 and there still is not an approved policy and we have not been provided (as an interested party) a copy of the draft polices.
2. The number of users should no longer be an event trigger. Previously if you had 20 or more people in a group you would need to file a permit.
3. The cost of a permit can many times be over $500.
4. When we asked the DNR at the MSTAC meeting in Oct 2013 they said the policy would be completed and published the beginning of December. We asked Ron Olson from the DNR if permits would be needed for events like SnoFari and he stated “no” because there was no special request for state land.
5. Despite these assurances, and the bill requiring the language to be settled by the end of December, both SnoFari and SnoBlind were required to pull permits in 2014 for their events.

GLFWDA Position:
The department has failed to publish guidelines within the time frame mandated by SB50. GLFWDA takes the position that event permits should not be required in accordance with SB50. Full size users are particularly affected by this since as few as 5 full size 4x4’s (with families of four) was enough to trigger a permit under the old guidelines so the new bill was a significant relief to our usergroup.

[TWEAK]

Thanks for posting this Ed! If you don't take action now, the department (DNR) will set things in stone that are not in line with what we have supported from a legislation change and will directly affect your pocketbook when going on organized runs.

[WhiteRhino]

I agree.
Who is going to this meeting to represent us?

Our president?????
Our VP?????

[lpm606]

Our president is not able to get the day off of work. VP indicated on last week's call that he was going to attempt to make it, but I haven't seen a confirmation. Rob (Tweak) our land use chairman is going to be there unless he is forced to travel for work. I believe one or two others have indicated they want to make it but need to see if they can work it out. Like you said previously, scheduling things like this in the middle of the day makes it pretty difficult for us working folks to get to attend. I generally don't have an issue getting a day off if I need to, so if it comes to it, I will burn another PTO day to attend as well.

[WhiteRhino]

I was just informed I will be traveling a day or two that week but the days are unknown.

[TWEAK]

Our president is not able to get the day off of work. VP indicated on last week's call that he was going to attempt to make it, but I haven't seen a confirmation. Rob (Tweak) our land use chairman is going to be there unless he is forced to travel for work. I believe one or two others have indicated they want to make it but need to see if they can work it out. Like you said previously, scheduling things like this in the middle of the day makes it pretty difficult for us working folks to get to attend. I generally don't have an issue getting a day off if I need to, so if it comes to it, I will burn another PTO day to attend as well.

I have requested to be home that week so I SHOULD be there as long as there are no escalations at work that would require me to go out of town.

[gnjeepn]

Looks like a couple of members of the Two Trackers will be in attendance.