Sounding (the silent sports) Alarm
Causes for concern & action
Snowmobile ad disses xc skiers Polaris, manufacturer of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, has a new print ad campaign that disses cross-country skiers.
In a full-page ad in the new issue of Wisconsin Snowmobile News, a large photo of a hand clad in a snowmobile glove is shown giving the thumb's up. Above the picture, the ad copy reads, "Sweet trails. Fresh powder. And the clubs who make it all possible."
Turn the page upside down
and the thumb points down. Then the text reads, "Long summers. Skiers. And snot-sicles in your chili."
While the ad seems to promote an "us vs. them" mentality, the message is clever albeit crude. However, the image makes one wonder if the snowmobiler's gauntlet, literally, has been thrown down before the skiing community.
Cross-country skiers would do well to emulate for their sport the public relations effort the ad promotes.
In very small print at the bottom of
the ad, Polaris pledges to "make a donation to the state or provincial association" for every Polaris sled sold in that area. This will be done "in appreciation for those who keep the trails smooth and access to the deep powder open."
That's not a bad idea. Surely some ski equipment manufacturers and retailers provide financial support for ski trail grooming somewhere. But are they doing enough? Would we give our industry a thumb's up or thumb's down? Ex-city clerk can sue after blowing whistle on trail funding Two years ago, the Duluth-based environmental group Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation convinced the Minnesota State Auditor to investigate alleged abuses of public trail funding by state Rep. Dave Dill and his snowmobile club, the Voyageur Trail Society, Inc.
The state auditor's investigation was prompted by public information obtained by MRR from then City of Orr
Clerk Sherry Erickson. In apparent retribution for Erickson's compliance with the Data Practices Act, the City of Orr (which receives public funds on behalf of Dill's club) fired her in March 2004.
A recent Court of Appeals ruling has given new life to Erickson's whistleblower lawsuit. In early October a three-judge panel for the appeals court ruled Erickson could proceed with her lawsuit in which she claims to have been wrongfully fired.
According to the Ely Timberjay newspaper, the
panel reversed a lower court ruling that Erickson's firing was not a violation of the the Whistleblower Act. The appeals court did uphold, however, the earlier decision that Erickson could not claim her dismissal was connected to the state auditor's investigation or for reporting allegedly illegal activities.
Erickson was fired shortly after the Duluth News-Tribune reported on the city's management of funds for Voyageur Trail Society Inc. (VTSI). Orr served as fiscal agent for the
snowmobile club's state grant dollars.
In the story published March 18, 2004, MRR questioned why state Rep. Dill, DFL-Crane Lake, was paid a salary from state snowmobile funds while serving in dual roles as Orr's city administrator and a trail administrator for VTSI. Dill said neither he, the city nor the club did anything illegal in handling the grant funds. Minnesota OHV damage repair fund extended A 2003 Minnesota
state law that offers both public and private landowners reimbursement for repairs and restoration to property damaged by illicit off-highway vehicle (OHV) use has been extended three years by the state Legislature. Applicants now have until July 1, 2008, to apply to the Department of Natural Resources for damage reimbursements.
The OHV damage account makes funds available to repair soil disturbance, erosion, rutting or destruction of vegetation or property. The OHV damage account is
funded from dedicated OHV revenues and is administered by the DNR's Division of Trails and Waterways.
In order for a claim to be approved, the damage must have been caused by the operation of OHVs after August 1, 2003, in an unpermitted location. Reasonable efforts must have been made to identify responsible parties, seek restitution and prevent reoccurrence. All claims must be supported by documentation confirming these conditions have been met. For more information, visit the DNR Web
site www.dnr.state.mn.us.
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