[catskills]

Comments were made at the meeting last night regarding paid groomer operators One comment was stated as 95% of the clubs upstate pay their groomers. I would like to invite you to copy and paste this link into your web browser and read what the people upsate say about paying groomer operators. If anyone can prove me wrong, show me.

http://www.hardcores...howtopic=264494

My Opinion:

1.) I am against paying any member who belongs to an organization, wheteher it be a fire dept., snowmobile club, or hunting club, etc for work they do for the club they belong to. Your in a club like this because you want to be. You shouldn't be in it to make money. Be in it for the (quote Bruce) "blood, sweat, and tears that it took this club to get going, hiking 6 miles with tools just to get a rock out". That's what it is all about. I thought this was a VOLUNTEER organization. It's just the point. Let me ask you this, if you are in a hunting camp do you charge the other memebers when you mow the lawn or cut fire wood? If you're a volunteer fireman do you ask to be paid when after you go to drill, respond to a call, or work at the pancake breakfast? Same scenario here in my mind.

2.) If this club wants to pay for the groomers, fine. But I think that before that happens there should be a group of certified operators. Maybe some will want to be paid and maybe some won't. Before any person who grooms and expects to be paid all members who will do it for the benefit of the club for free should have the benefit of doing it first. This could be set up via a schedule. If the grooming can't be completed by volunteers, then as a last resort use the people who want to be paid.

3.) Why is it that we are willing to pay a groomer operator $13/hr when we will only pay a trail maintainer $7.15/hr? Is that fair? What if a member is willing to do all the trail maintenance they can but can only do it on weekends or fall but they can not or don't feel comfortable grooming. Is it fair to have two pay scales? What makes a groomer operator more valuable than a maintainer?

4.) It is clear that this whole issue has some members concerned. Maybe they are not the founding members or the members who helped organize this club. But, they are members and they should be listened to. The whole situation needs to be resolved, one way or the other for the benefit of every member. One indian can not win a battle, it takes a tribe. An undivided tribe.


I want everyone to know that these are MY views. I am not representing a group of members.

Chris Austin

[Renegade X]

catskills, on Oct 19 2007, 09:49 PM, said:

Comments were made at the meeting last night regarding paid groomer operators One comment was stated as 95% of the clubs upstate pay their groomers. I would like to invite you to copy and paste this link into your web browser and read what the people upsate say about paying groomer operators. If anyone can prove me wrong, show me.

http://www.hardcores...howtopic=264494

My Opinion:

1.) I am against paying any member who belongs to an organization, wheteher it be a fire dept., snowmobile club, or hunting club, etc for work they do for the club they belong to. Your in a club like this because you want to be. You shouldn't be in it to make money. Be in it for the (quote Bruce) "blood, sweat, and tears that it took this club to get going, hiking 6 miles with tools just to get a rock out". That's what it is all about. I thought this was a VOLUNTEER organization. It's just the point. Let me ask you this, if you are in a hunting camp do you charge the other memebers when you mow the lawn or cut fire wood? If you're a volunteer fireman do you ask to be paid when after you go to drill, respond to a call, or work at the pancake breakfast? Same scenario here in my mind.

2.) If this club wants to pay for the groomers, fine. But I think that before that happens there should be a group of certified operators. Maybe some will want to be paid and maybe some won't. Before any person who grooms and expects to be paid all members who will do it for the benefit of the club for free should have the benefit of doing it first. This could be set up via a schedule. If the grooming can't be completed by volunteers, then as a last resort use the people who want to be paid.

3.) Why is it that we are willing to pay a groomer operator $13/hr when we will only pay a trail maintainer $7.15/hr? Is that fair? What if a member is willing to do all the trail maintenance they can but can only do it on weekends or fall but they can not or don't feel comfortable grooming. Is it fair to have two pay scales? What makes a groomer operator more valuable than a maintainer?

4.) It is clear that this whole issue has some members concerned. Maybe they are not the founding members or the members who helped organize this club. But, they are members and they should be listened to. The whole situation needs to be resolved, one way or the other for the benefit of every member. One indian can not win a battle, it takes a tribe. An undivided tribe.
I want everyone to know that these are MY views. I am not representing a group of members.

Chris Austin

Could not have said it better myself. "Paid Volunteers" that's something new. There's no place for this in our sport, we are a dying breed & must stick together or we'll accomplish nothing. Pray for snow so the volunteers can do their thing.

[Cheryl]

Renegade X, on Oct 20 2007, 07:07 AM, said:

Could not have said it better myself. "Paid Volunteers" that's something new. There's no place for this in our sport, we are a dying breed & must stick together or we'll accomplish nothing. Pray for snow so the volunteers can do their thing.

There are established guidelines for grant proposals regarding reimbursements to the clubs applying for trail fund monies. One item the club CAN be reimbursed for is grooming. Any approved groomer who wants to donate his time HAS THAT option. Anyone who grooms and accepts the approved fees ALSO HAS THAT OPTION. Trail work is another item. Members on trail crews CAN be reimbursed a set hourly rate for their time. Anyone who wishes to donate their time CAN DO SO. Anyone who wishes to accept the fee CAN DO SO.

DO NOT criticize ANYONE. Do YOUR part - Attend meetings and ADD your input. Help to bring about changes if need be. STEP UP TO THE PLATE. We have over 325 members registered and we have maybe 20 who come to meetings. These are the same 20 who do the trail work, grooming, and whatever else needs to be done. WHERE ARE THE REST OF YOU??

Cheryl Muthig, Secretary

[skidooer]

Cheryl, on 27 January 2008 - 06:39 PM, said:

There are established guidelines for grant proposals regarding reimbursements to the clubs applying for trail fund monies. One item the club CAN be reimbursed for is grooming. Any approved groomer who wants to donate his time HAS THAT option. Anyone who grooms and accepts the approved fees ALSO HAS THAT OPTION. Trail work is another item. Members on trail crews CAN be reimbursed a set hourly rate for their time. Anyone who wishes to donate their time CAN DO SO. Anyone who wishes to accept the fee CAN DO SO.

DO NOT criticize ANYONE. Do YOUR part - Attend meetings and ADD your input. Help to bring about changes if need be. STEP UP TO THE PLATE. We have over 325 members registered and we have maybe 20 who come to meetings. These are the same 20 who do the trail work, grooming, and whatever else needs to be done. WHERE ARE THE REST OF YOU??

Cheryl Muthig, Secretary

Any thoughts to having meetings in other locations other then Claryville? I think attendance may go up if you were to rotate meeting locations. Just a thought?