FUNDING!  The 2002 Jefferson County Grant applications are out. It is time to fill out a grant request and try to gain some much needed funding. It was decided at our meeting that we will move forward and try to get the necessary funds to purchase a used tractor in the 35 to 40 H.P Range with a loader. We would them have a piece of equipment with which to improve trails and maintain any that need work. We have lots to do and also need to find such a tractor for about $6,000 or less. If you know of anyone who has such a machine for sale please e-mail me at 92vmax@imcnet.net so we can move forward with this grant. 

NYSORVA! NYSORVA has been working to build up its delegates and Plan for all the battles that are taking place to include the all important Legislation fight for funding as well as our ongoing battles with the DEC for legal places to ride on the public lands. To keep updated and know what is going on you can check out the NYSORVA web site at www.nysorva.org. For more information and to get more involved in helping us gain more riding rights contact Alex Ernst at alex@nysorva.org or call (518) 756-3366 

DEC Report! Not to sound like the squeaky wheel but this stuff matters to us all and is worth a repeat! It seems that we are loosing ground faster than we are gaining it.  It has come to our attention that the DEC has now made the entire region 5 off limits to ATV’s. This is not a good sign. The Draft for the region 7 UMP is also out and the DEC has been having meetings concerning this as well. They have written all ATV use out of region 7 as well, I quote from the plan “Development of an ATV trail system is incompatible with the cultural and recreational demands, uses and natural characteristics of state forests in region 7”. The DEC spent much time working to justify this statement in the plan, and we need to send the message that this is not acceptable! If you cannot drop a letter, make a phone call and send an e-mail. Call the DEC contact, Cortland office at (607) 753-3095, or at Sherburne office at (607) 674-4036. At the very least send an e-mail to mailto:r7forest@gw.dec.state.ny.us  If this pattern continues we will not have any access to any Public lands for ATV use and we are one of the biggest user groups. It is estimated that there are over 250,000 ATV’s and Dirt Bikes in New York State! Are you willing to lie down and give up your rights to be able to enjoy your chosen form of recreation? If we work together we will let them know we will not give up! The DEC is accommodating all other users from hikers to boaters, hang gliders to Snowmobiles, Everyone except the ATV’s. 

Club Member Rides!!! We are already planning our first ride as a club for the year! On May 18 we are planning to go up and ride across the Rivergate trail up to Redwood. This will be a one day ride and we all be meeting up to convoy up together and ride together with some members of the Rivergate Wheelers ATV club. This is a great trail and nice area to ride, so if you want to go along, let me know by e-mailing me and we will arrange for a time and location to meet! Or come to the next meeting as we will be discussing it further. 

Village of Black River: Do not forget the meeting at the village of Black River. The fight is not over yet though. The public hearing on this matter will be held on Monday March 4th at 6:30 P.M. At this time if all goes well the law will be passed and the legal access will be in place! It is very important if you live in this region and this effects you please attend this meeting and let your voice be heard. 

Town Board Meetings: As for the meetings in other regions, we have not given up! In Ellisburg the AD-HOC committee is meeting to try to work out some of the roads and details from our revised list and request. Members are also still working to get the landowner permission slips to show the towns we have trails and are working to do everything necessary as well for Sandy Creek. We are also making progress with the Town of Rutland and before the end of the month I will have another copy of a map marked up and to them to look over for proposed road openings. 
 
Oswego County Planning Department: The Rail roads beds owned by the County is still at issue. I spoke with Legislator Wayne Lindsy the other night and they are working forward on this important issue, They know we are ready and willing to do whatever is necessary, but we still need members to stand up, make phone calls and write letters! Please take the time to drop a line to County Planning department at: 

Oswego County Planning Department 
46 East Bridge Street 
Oswego, New York 13126 

Letters are our best forms of support for the development of trails so please take a moment to write a few lines in support of ATV, Snowmobile and multi use trails. It affects the future of your chosen form of recreation, please don’t rely on others to do it for you. Now is the time to speak up and let your legislators know your feelings! 

Membership Information: We need to increase our membership. It is time to get your friends and those you ride with to join our growing club! If you know of anyone in your region that rides tell them about us and lets get the ball rolling. Our current membership is very short in some of the eastern Jefferson County towns where we still have much to do for improved legal riding. To find out more about NYTRO or to join the club, contact any of our sponsoring dealers, or any member. You can also call me at (315) 782-5280 or e-mail me at 92vmax@imcnet.net we would like to continue to build up our membership. If you want to see things happen in your region, join the club. We cannot work forward in regions that we do not have the member support. 

Trails: Remember that the trails we have that cross private lands are still closed at this time, and will be so until spring. I know that in other regions of the state the snow is very limited if there is any at all, but we can still measure ours in the feet as is normal for us. The snowmobile season is still in full swing, and with the limited snow in other area’s the trails are very crowded. Use some common courtesy if you are out and about with your snowmobile or ATV, and be careful. 

UPDATED LIST OF EVENTS!  We will always try to keep all members updated on planned events, and we will try to also get to some of the events as a group. For a listing of events around the state check out the NYSORVA web site list of events at www.nysorva.org