Minutes – February 2025

Meeting Minutes:  February, 2025

Officers: President: Spencer Feldt (2025),Vice President:  Jim Berg (2026), Secretary: Kevin McNutt (2025), Treasurer: Frank Sommerfeldt (2026)

Board of Directors: Rhett Larson (2025), Cyndi Sommerfeldt (2025), Kirk Johnson (2026), Chris Shermach (2026)

Trail Bosses: West: Brad McGuiggan & Jason Raska, East: Scott Carlson, Dresser West: Arik Mahler, Dresser East: Kevin McNutt, Stower Trail: Jeff Jonas & Chris Shermach, Trail 30: Frank Sommerfeldt & Trever Everson

Council Reps: Eric Hallen, Jim Berg

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*Meeting called to order on 2/4/25, 7:04pm at UW Wanderoos by Spencer.

Secretary’s report: 

• All past month’s meeting minutes are posted on our club webpage (www.osceolavalleysnogoers.com).  They stand approved.

Treasurer’s report:

• Income and expenses for the upcoming Fun Run are in process.
• A donation from Benevity came in, but we don’t know who it is from.  Benevity is the partner that some corporations (like Polaris) use for employees to donate to a cause and may or may not include a company match.  If anyone knows what this donation might be from, please let Frank know.  We would like to say “Thank You”.

Old Business:

• Award plaque for Duane Wolter was presented to him.  Photo and a little blurb about it was submitted to the Osceola Sun and the AWSC WSN magazine.
• Speaker/mic was ordered and on hand, although it was left on and had discharged so it wasn’t working for the meeting.  Oops…  Spencer now has it and confirmed it works again after recharging.

New Business:

• Just need snow!
• Nominations will be needed for April meeting for positions that are up for election this year.  President, Secretary, and two Board of Director positions.  Elections will take place during May meeting.

Council Report:

• New Rec officer Jeff Hahn will also have a second officer.  They plan to have 2 sleds out patrolling the trails in the future.
• Stower Trail.  Court litigations still in appeals.  There is a similar case in another county which is also under consideration.  Not sure what affect, if any, either case has on the other.
• Gandy Dancer Trail bridge by Luck can be crossed by sleds, but not the groomer.  It will be rough.
• AWSC spring meeting will be held in Green Bay on March 28-30.  Anyone is welcome to attend.
• Snowmobile council land acquisition in Centuria is still progressing.  Not much new to report just yet.
• Emphasis on any modified exhausts (i.e. “cans”) are too loud and not legal.  You will be ticketed for it.
• Surrounding Club Activities:
  • February 7, 6:00pm – Osceola – Meat Raffle at Pottsie’s, East Farmington.
  • February 22, all day – Osceola – Fun Run.  Final stop at Ken’s Keyboard at 6:00pm.  Prizes and 50/50 raffle to start at 7:00pm.
  • February 22, 9:30-11:30am – Amery – Vintage Snowmobile Show at Amery Snowmobile Club Shelter.
  • March 22.  Bouya in Fredric
  • April 6 – Joelmobilers – Raffle drawing.

KAOS Youth Club:

• Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm at McKenzie Lanes in Centuria.
• Raffle again this year.  Doug has tickets if you want them now.  Drawing will be in April.  First prize is cash, second prize is a gear bag, third prize is a cooler, and fourth prize is a smaller cooler.
• Medic Sled is now getting lettered for the Milltown Fire Department.  Miss Snowflake is confirmed to attend the donation event and talk to the youth about leadership.

Committee Reports:  Reminder to all club members that committees were formed at the December 2023 club meeting to establish designated missions, leaders, contributors, and budgets for each.  This is intended to allow progress to be made within each committee without requiring votes for actions so long as the committees operate within their allotted budget and mission.  Anyone is welcome to join a committee(s) to get involved.  More help is always appreciated!  Questions can be directed to committee chairpersons.

Fair Revenue Committee:

• Chair:  Cyndi Sommerfeldt
• Mission:  Maximize fair revenue by providing food and drink to the participants of the Osceola Fair at a reasonable value.
• Budget:  $500
• Updates:
  • No updates.

Other Revenue Committee:

• Chair:  Kate & Chris Shermach
• Mission:  Generate additional revenue to the club to close any budget gaps that may happen.  Possible streams could include donations, raffles, poker run, clothing store, etc.
• Budget:  $300
• Updates:
  • Fun Run.  February 22.  All sponsor donations in hand.
  • Shirts order was placed and will be ready for pick-up on 2/5.
  • Need some additional volunteers for that evening at Ken’s by 5:30.
  • Packets for sponsor locations were handed out to those that will be stationed at each sponsor.

Landowner Appreciation Committee:

• Chair:  Donna Berg
• Mission:  Show appreciation to our 110+ landowners for allowing our trails to cross their property.
• Budget:  $5,000
• Updates:
  • Date confirmed for May 4 at UW Wanderoos.

Scholarship / Donation Committee:

• Chair:  Angel Olson
• Mission:  Give back to the community by donating to worthy causes like college scholarships to our local graduating high school seniors and donating to the local food shelves, fire departments, rescue squads, etc.
• Budget:  $1,500  (plan 2x $500 scholarships and $500 donation to food shelf)
• Updates:
  • Meat raffle is this Friday, February 7 at 6:30pm at Pottsie’s.  Hopefully many club members can attend!
  • Scholarship committee will review applications in April.

Social Committee:

• Chair:  Spencer Feldt
• Mission:  Show appreciation to our members for all the work they do to ensure we meet the needs of our landowners, trails, and community.
• Budget:  $750
• Updates:
  • Tentative grill out planned at our Osceola shelter sometime if we get enough snow for the trails to open.  Possibly something on the day of the Fun Run.

Social Media Committee:

• Chair:  Jim Berg and Eric Hallen
• Mission:  Maintain our website, Facebook, and other platforms to ensure our by-laws, meeting minutes, activities, trail information, etc are readily available to our members and community.
• Budget:  $25
• Updates:
  • No updates.

Trail Committee:

• Chair:  Kevin McNutt
• Mission:  Work closely with our landowners to ensure our trails are safe and fun for all our members and visitors.  Document all trail work in SNARS.  Collect and save land use agreements and send to the county rep.
• Budget:  $800
• Updates:
  • Gordy:  Sounds like a new housing development may go in by the airport so we need to see how those plans come together and whether it will affect our existing trail or not.
  • Bridge by Crooked Creek golf course was looked at.  It is showing some wear, but seems to be good enough for now to continue using.  Monitor for now.  Let’s see if the new housing development will lead to any trail reroute before we do anything with the bridge.

Finance Committee:

• Chair:  Frank Sommerfeldt
• Mission:  Create and oversee a budget that will be sufficient to appreciate our landowners, maintain our trails, recognize our members, and contribute to our community.
• Budget:  $300
• Updates:
  • In good shape.

Next Meeting: March 4, 2025 at Pottsies at 7:00pm.

*Motion to adjourn approved at 7:32pm