grizz

To believe with all this new technology that there is very little transparency within the OFSC and Board or Directors. We as permit holders do not see the whole picture. Why did a club close its doors? Why do clubs not disclose financial statements (not-for-profit)? What are the salaries of the CEO, Chief Financial Officer and so on not disclosed? If the OFSC continues to loose money, is it not time for change? If the old guard has no solutions except to protect themselves and maintain a status quo, it will continue to loose. Yes attracting volunteers is hard to do, I was one for a few years and as a new volunteer you see things. They do not want change. This is the way it was and this is way the way it will continue. Lawyers as volunteers at meetings were set aside as a trouble maker. Even if you were a person that understood Corporate Structure and had a firm grasp in accounting you were perceived to be a trouble maker. The OFSC, the Board of Directors control this approach. It is very unfortunate for us permit holders that the OFSC is run only by a few, that have deep club pockets from old. There has been many a wasted $ in funding for trails as each trail organization is a separate entity, and the bad blood runs deep. As a volunteer for a few years I can answer to what l have seen and none other.

Tweed closing it's doors was long over due, yes they maintained the trails very well, but that is all. They would not conform to signage, meetings and guidelines set by the OFSC. They sold and only attempted to sell very few permits. Ultimately it was there own demise, few volunteers and did not even try to integrate nor communicate with other clubs. As for District 3 and allowing this to happen is a slap in the face for the Governor and the ones involved to allow this to happen. Has District 3 or the OFSC announced what is going to happen? No and they will not as it is bad publicity. They will rely on you as the permit holder to only speculate, rely on rumours and hope there will be a trail. Now with CHSC trails closed at the lake, CHSC has no feasible way to groom those trails. The District 3 clubs are very territorial, but maybe that has changed now, not likely as these clubs have there old ways and are very limited in volunteers and resources, all by there own doing.

I understand the pain this gentlemen in this club is experiencing. The overhaul is long over due, but having everyone in one basket is to hide, for what has really happened over the years. Large club houses is metropolitan areas (large urban areas) for years have been pocketing permit funds to the tune 000,000.00 and could not spend it on just rails. There are some pretty good looking club houses out there with six digit accounts. They might be the permit account, but rather named as the club house account. Ganaraska has a great trail system and groom it extensively and should be one of the clubs recognized for it. Then we look at the Snowbirds in Barry's Bay, grooming is extensive and so are the trails. Large area with few permit sales. Even other clubs from other areas that had a surplus gave money to the Snow Birds and were slammed for it, as the money did not remain in the district. In those years when no snow, and only 2 clubs groomed. What was recognized years ago as a new comer volunteer, the OFSC is very complex and is driven to protect and directed by very few members and large clubs, with some Districts voting as one for all clubs. Clubs view permit sales as there own and the allocation was brutal and heavily favoured for the club. For instance, the more permit sales the more money the club received. Example 3000 permits times 220.00 equals 660,000.00, club retains 80% with little to no trails to groom per year. Creative accounting ensued, large club houses, some had room for a groomer to be stored. Since the clubhouse is owned by the club, the groomer is part of maintaining the trails as permit cost are allocated, the club house is not. Therefore charging rent or a lease agreement to store the groomer in the club house is part of the trail cost. Effectively your club house is now being maintained with little to no fund raising. Having a large permit bank account as not-for-profit, CRA takes a dim view of. However through the Information Act, one can see the transactions. Do not speak out about this or the accounting of club houses, as witnessed even lawyers as volunteers try to understand and get put aside or shelved, never mind if know anything about accounting or Corporate Structure. They are a strong organization if they can stay united at the top with a few clubs and members supporting them, but it seems now good cracks in the system are making it's way through. There needs to be more people like this gentleman that can have a voice and let it known, but it may cost him dearly as a volunteer. IT IS TIME FOR REAL CHANGE and I for one agree with his sentiments, LET THE PERMIT HOLDERS KNOW, after all we are the ones that pay for the wages or the OFSC. Glad for change, but all clubs are not as all others. The system was the RICH got RICHER and the POOR that had trails GOT POORER. Where do people ride when asked at a district meeting when certain clubs have no good conditions? You would not believe the scape goat answers they relied on. The survey's answered by Snowmobilers do not travel they ride on club house trails.