Trails rough ? call Matt Frank DNR or our famous senator from the north at there home phone # and ask what happened to the money? And the AWSC wants to partnerup with these guys!! Yikes!! 1/29/2010 8:45:00 AM Email this article • Print this article
Frank's delay: Hitting snowmo clubs' pocketbooks
Smaller snowmobile clubs facing “dire straights”
Eric Johnson
Reporter
As state snowmobile clubs continue to rack up significant expenses for maintenance and grooming activities on Wisconsin's 22,000 miles of state-funded trails, a much-needed $500,000 of misdirected 2009 Segregated Snowmobile Fund monies earmarked for supplemental funding to clubs sits in limbo in the state's General Fund, waiting for DNR secretary Matt Frank to act on the 13.10 Transfer paperwork.
The $500,000 represents additional snowmobile trail maintenance and grooming funds generated by a $17 increase in out-of-state snowmobile registration fees, which rose from $18 to $35.
"For whatever reason, the money was stuck in the General Fund instead of the Segregated Snowmobile Fund ...," said Tom Tomlanovich, trail boss for Eagle River's Sno Eagles Snowmobile Club and Vilas County director for the DeForest-based Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs.
"That money should have never gone in the General Fund ... If it's left in there, our governor can give it to anybody ..."
Tomlanovich said that he'd been advised by AWSC Trails Committee chairman Larry Erickson that paperwork for the 13.10 Transfer has been gathering dust on Frank's desk.
Snowmobiling interests, including the the AWSC, are concerned.
"The DNR is delaying transfer of the money," Tomlanovich said. "It's been on his (Frank's) desk for two weeks, waiting for him to sign it. We want to know why it hasn't been transferred. All he has to do is sign it and the transfer can take place. It's our money ... We want to find out what's happening here. We need our money. Hopefully, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Clubs are running out of fuel and we're still waiting on this [fund] transfer ... This money is from last year and certainly should have been transferred by now."
Between equipment, diesel fuel and other trail maintenance and grooming costs, expenses for Wisconsin's snowmobile clubs run high.
"It adds up real fast," Tomlanovich said of trail maintenance and grooming costs, noting some clubs, like the Sno Eagles, also pay their groomer drivers.
Snowmobile clubs are guaranteed to receive full funding of $250 per mile per season out of the state's Segregated Snowmobile Fund, which includes income from out-of-state snowmobile registrations and approximately $86 per Wisconsin sled in registration fees and gas taxes.
Clubs are also eligible to receive up to a maximum additional $500 per mile per season in supplemental funding out of the Segregated Snowmobile Fund. State disbursements for supplemental funding are currently running around a 60 percent payout.
"That's shorting everybody," Tomlanovich said. "We should be paid out at least 80 percent."
Scott Cisney, a board member for the Arbor Vitae-based Cross Country Cruisers Snowmobile Club, agrees.
"A new groomer costs around $150,000 and is 100 percent bought and maintained by the clubs, fuel included," he said. "Running a $150,000 groomer for $50 per hour is hardly financially viable and requires a lot of fundraising to make it happen. Running a $150,000 groomer for 60 percent of $50 per hour is ridiculous."
Tomlanovich said receipt of the additional funds generated by out-of-state snowmobile registrations would help increase the state's payout on supplemental funding to about 80 percent.
"If the transfer happens, all the clubs will receive the rest of the funding due them ...," Tomlanovich said. "We're still short, but there's only so much money in the fund."
In addition to trying to spur Frank into action on the 13.10 Transfer, Tomlanovich said the AWSC will also be working to avoid a repeat of the situation in future years.
"We're looking for a permanent fix to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
Clubs being financially squeezed
Given the deep economic recession gripping Wisconsin and the nation, the current situation couldn't have come at a worse time for the state's snowmobile clubs.
"There's no money out there," he said. "All the budgets are tight ... We're trying to hold our own."
Rocky Caffarella, Vilas County trail boss for the Cross County Cruisers and vice president of the 11-club Vilas County Snowmobile Alliance, said Frank's delay in acting on the 13.10 Transfer is putting the state's snowmobile clubs, particularly the smaller clubs, in a financially-precarious position.
"That difference [between 60 percent and 80 percent payout on supplemental funding] means thousands of dollars per club," he noted. "We're not talking about $180 here ... All the legislative stuff's been done. All we need is for Frank to sign the 13.10 Transfer and send it off to [Gov. Jim] Doyle for his signature."
For the Cross County Cruisers, the financial stakes are high.
"We're talking about money to buy fuel for our groomers," Caffarella said. "We've got four groomers on the trails every night. We're burning 14 gallons of diesel fuel per hour and most of our runs are four to six hours - and we're burning that every night ... We've gotta pay those [fuel] bills."
While the larger snowmobile clubs are being pinched, Caffarella said smaller snowmobile clubs are being pushed to the brink.
"It's affecting us, but the smaller clubs are in dire straights," he said, noting some clubs might be forced to cut back grooming activities or suspend them altogether if the transfer of the additional supplemental funds is not expedited by Frank.
Such a scenario, he said, could negatively impact the tourism-driven Northwoods economy, which is heavily reliant on the winter snowmobiling trade.
"We have to groom and keep the trails up to good to very good condition for riding," he said. "If some of the clubs have to back off or quit grooming because of money, people are not gonna come up to northern Wisconsin ... Our trails are in good condition and we've gotta keep them that way."
Holperin to meet with AWSC
Contacted by The Lakeland Times on Wednesday, State Sen. Jim Holperin (D-12) said he was not aware of the 13.10 Transfer dilemma until Tuesday.
Holperin said he would be meeting with AWSC officials at his Madison office Wednesday afternoon to discuss the situation.
"I intend to ... ask whether they'd like me to intervene," he said. "If they want intervention ... I'll get to the bottom of it ... I'll get a call in to the DNR yet today."
DNR secretary Matt Frank was unavailable for comment as of press time for today's Times.
Eric Johnson can be reached at ejohnson@lakelandtimes.com.
Frank's delay: Hitting snowmo clubs' pocketbooks
Smaller snowmobile clubs facing “dire straights”
Eric Johnson
Reporter
As state snowmobile clubs continue to rack up significant expenses for maintenance and grooming activities on Wisconsin's 22,000 miles of state-funded trails, a much-needed $500,000 of misdirected 2009 Segregated Snowmobile Fund monies earmarked for supplemental funding to clubs sits in limbo in the state's General Fund, waiting for DNR secretary Matt Frank to act on the 13.10 Transfer paperwork.
The $500,000 represents additional snowmobile trail maintenance and grooming funds generated by a $17 increase in out-of-state snowmobile registration fees, which rose from $18 to $35.
"For whatever reason, the money was stuck in the General Fund instead of the Segregated Snowmobile Fund ...," said Tom Tomlanovich, trail boss for Eagle River's Sno Eagles Snowmobile Club and Vilas County director for the DeForest-based Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs.
"That money should have never gone in the General Fund ... If it's left in there, our governor can give it to anybody ..."
Tomlanovich said that he'd been advised by AWSC Trails Committee chairman Larry Erickson that paperwork for the 13.10 Transfer has been gathering dust on Frank's desk.
Snowmobiling interests, including the the AWSC, are concerned.
"The DNR is delaying transfer of the money," Tomlanovich said. "It's been on his (Frank's) desk for two weeks, waiting for him to sign it. We want to know why it hasn't been transferred. All he has to do is sign it and the transfer can take place. It's our money ... We want to find out what's happening here. We need our money. Hopefully, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Clubs are running out of fuel and we're still waiting on this [fund] transfer ... This money is from last year and certainly should have been transferred by now."
Between equipment, diesel fuel and other trail maintenance and grooming costs, expenses for Wisconsin's snowmobile clubs run high.
"It adds up real fast," Tomlanovich said of trail maintenance and grooming costs, noting some clubs, like the Sno Eagles, also pay their groomer drivers.
Snowmobile clubs are guaranteed to receive full funding of $250 per mile per season out of the state's Segregated Snowmobile Fund, which includes income from out-of-state snowmobile registrations and approximately $86 per Wisconsin sled in registration fees and gas taxes.
Clubs are also eligible to receive up to a maximum additional $500 per mile per season in supplemental funding out of the Segregated Snowmobile Fund. State disbursements for supplemental funding are currently running around a 60 percent payout.
"That's shorting everybody," Tomlanovich said. "We should be paid out at least 80 percent."
Scott Cisney, a board member for the Arbor Vitae-based Cross Country Cruisers Snowmobile Club, agrees.
"A new groomer costs around $150,000 and is 100 percent bought and maintained by the clubs, fuel included," he said. "Running a $150,000 groomer for $50 per hour is hardly financially viable and requires a lot of fundraising to make it happen. Running a $150,000 groomer for 60 percent of $50 per hour is ridiculous."
Tomlanovich said receipt of the additional funds generated by out-of-state snowmobile registrations would help increase the state's payout on supplemental funding to about 80 percent.
"If the transfer happens, all the clubs will receive the rest of the funding due them ...," Tomlanovich said. "We're still short, but there's only so much money in the fund."
In addition to trying to spur Frank into action on the 13.10 Transfer, Tomlanovich said the AWSC will also be working to avoid a repeat of the situation in future years.
"We're looking for a permanent fix to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
Clubs being financially squeezed
Given the deep economic recession gripping Wisconsin and the nation, the current situation couldn't have come at a worse time for the state's snowmobile clubs.
"There's no money out there," he said. "All the budgets are tight ... We're trying to hold our own."
Rocky Caffarella, Vilas County trail boss for the Cross County Cruisers and vice president of the 11-club Vilas County Snowmobile Alliance, said Frank's delay in acting on the 13.10 Transfer is putting the state's snowmobile clubs, particularly the smaller clubs, in a financially-precarious position.
"That difference [between 60 percent and 80 percent payout on supplemental funding] means thousands of dollars per club," he noted. "We're not talking about $180 here ... All the legislative stuff's been done. All we need is for Frank to sign the 13.10 Transfer and send it off to [Gov. Jim] Doyle for his signature."
For the Cross County Cruisers, the financial stakes are high.
"We're talking about money to buy fuel for our groomers," Caffarella said. "We've got four groomers on the trails every night. We're burning 14 gallons of diesel fuel per hour and most of our runs are four to six hours - and we're burning that every night ... We've gotta pay those [fuel] bills."
While the larger snowmobile clubs are being pinched, Caffarella said smaller snowmobile clubs are being pushed to the brink.
"It's affecting us, but the smaller clubs are in dire straights," he said, noting some clubs might be forced to cut back grooming activities or suspend them altogether if the transfer of the additional supplemental funds is not expedited by Frank.
Such a scenario, he said, could negatively impact the tourism-driven Northwoods economy, which is heavily reliant on the winter snowmobiling trade.
"We have to groom and keep the trails up to good to very good condition for riding," he said. "If some of the clubs have to back off or quit grooming because of money, people are not gonna come up to northern Wisconsin ... Our trails are in good condition and we've gotta keep them that way."
Holperin to meet with AWSC
Contacted by The Lakeland Times on Wednesday, State Sen. Jim Holperin (D-12) said he was not aware of the 13.10 Transfer dilemma until Tuesday.
Holperin said he would be meeting with AWSC officials at his Madison office Wednesday afternoon to discuss the situation.
"I intend to ... ask whether they'd like me to intervene," he said. "If they want intervention ... I'll get to the bottom of it ... I'll get a call in to the DNR yet today."
DNR secretary Matt Frank was unavailable for comment as of press time for today's Times.
Eric Johnson can be reached at ejohnson@lakelandtimes.com.
