Vermont Association Of Snow Travelers Inc

COORDINATE THE STATEWIDE SNOWMOBILE TRAILS SYSTEM (SSTS), AND EDUCATE SNOWMOBILERS.

STATEWIDE SNOWMOBILE TRAILS PROGRAM (SSTP) - THE STATEWIDE SNOWMOBILE TRAILS SYSTEM (SSTS) IS COMPRISED OF MORE THAN 6,000 MILES OF INTERCONNECTED SNOWMOBILE TRAILS THAT EXTEND FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER IN THE NORTH, TO THE MASSACHUSETTS BORDER IN THE SOUTH, AND FROM THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BORDER IN THE EAST, TO THE NEW YORK BORDER IN THE WEST. THROUGH THE STATE OF VERMONT, VAST HAS BEEN AWARDED A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE OF VERMONT FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SSTS. TO THIS DATE, VERMONT IS THE ONLY STATE, OF 27 SNOW-BELT STATES, TO OPERATE ITS SSTP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A PRIVATE NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION. FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM COMES THROUGH THE STATE OF VERMONT, AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS AND RECREATION, AND IS FROM THE FOLLOWING THREE SOURCES: (1) THE REVENUE COLLECTED FROM THE SALE OF VERMONT SNOWMOBILE REGISTRATIONS; FIVE DOLLARS OF EACH REGISTRATION IS RETAINED BY THE STATE TO FUND LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS, AND RECREATION TAKES 11,500 OFF THE TOP FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES; (2) THE RETURN OF FINES AND PENALTIES THAT VERMONT COLLECTS FROM CITATIONS ISSUED FOR SNOWMOBILE LAW AND RULE VIOLATIONS; (3) BASED ON A FORMULA DEFINED IN CHAPTER 20, TITLE 10, VERMONT STATUTES ANNOTATED, VAST RECEIVES AN AMOUNT ANNUALLY FROM THE TOTAL GAS TAX COLLECTED.

VAST GENERAL PROGRAM - THE MAJOR REVENUE SOURCE FOR THIS BUDGET IS THE SALE OF A TRAIL PASS (TRAILS MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENT, OR "TMA") REQUIRED BY VERMONT LAW IN ORDER TO OPERATE A SNOWMOBILE ON THE SSTS. THIS PROGRAM ALSO RECEIVES GRANT FUNDING. ONE SOURCE OF GRANT REVENUE IS THE NATIONAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM. VAST HAS OTHER PARTNERSHIPS WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES, LIKE THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE AND THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES THAT BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUES. VAST SELLS ADVERTISING IN ITS MAGAZINE (PUBLISHED FIVE TIMES ANNUALLY) FOR ADDITIONAL PROGRAM REVENUE. THIS PROGRAM IS BROKEN DOWN INTO THE FOLLOWING THREE DIVISIONS - (1) ADMINISTRATION - THIS DIVISION OF THE PROGRAM PAYS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FOR THE BALANCE OF THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING ALL SALARIES AND WAGES, AND FRINGE BENEFITS PAID TO VAST STAFF. THE MAJOR INCOME SOURCES ARE A PORTION OF THE TMA REVENUE RAISED ANNUALLY AND THE SALE OF ADVERTISING WITHIN SNOWMOBILE VERMONT AND THE VAST WEBSITE. SNOWMOBILE VERMONT IS THE PRIMARY TOOL FOR COMMUNICATION WITH ITS MEMBERSHIP. THIS PROGRAM DIVISION IS ALSO REIMBURSED FOR EMPLOYEE WAGES AND BENEFITS THAT ARE EXPENDED ON BEHALF OF OTHER PROGRAMS OF VAST. (2) TRAILS - THIS DIVISION OF THE PROGRAM IS, BY FAR, THE LARGEST. VAST RUNS GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL CLUBS THAT ARE PAID FROM THIS PORTION OF THE VAST BUDGET. GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAMS INCLUDE: TRAIL CONSTRUCTION; TRAIL MAINTENANCE; TRAIL SIGNING; TRAIL DEBRUSHING; EMERGENCY ALLOCATIONS; GROOMING EQUIPMENT; GROOMING OF THE STATEWIDE SNOWMOBILE TRAILS SYSTEM; ETC. THIS DIVISION OF THE PROGRAM ALSO FUNDS VAST PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THIS DIVISION COMES FROM THE SALE OF THE TMA, AS WELL AS GRANTS GENERATED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. (3) SCHOLARSHIPS - ONE TENTH OF ONE PERCENT OF EVERY VAST TMA GOES TO HELP FUND THIS PROGRAM DIVISION. IN ADDITION, ON JULY 15, 2019 VAST OPENED AN ANNUITY WITH GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE GROUP IN AN EFFORT TO GAIN MORE INTEREST ON BOARD DESIGNATED AMOUNTS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. VAST IS NO LONGER AFFILIATED WITH THE AFFINITY PROGRAM WITH LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY. CURRENTLY, VAST GIVES TWO 1,500 SCHOLARSHIPS ANNUALLY. THE GOAL IS TO BUILD THE FUND UNTIL IT BECOMES SELF-SUPPORTING AND ABLE TO GRANT TWO ANNUAL 2,500 SCHOLARSHIPS.

MORE THAN A DECADE AGO VAST STARTED WORKING ON A PROJECT THAT TODAY IS KNOWN AS THE LAMOILLE VALLEY RAIL TRAIL (LVRT). IN 1998 THE STATE OF VERMONT, THROUGH THREE OF VERMONT'S REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSIONS, DEVELOPED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE FUTURE USE OF THE OLD LAMOILLE VALLEY RAILROAD. VAST WAS ONE OF THREE RESPONDENTS TO THE RFP, AND ULTIMATELY, THE PROPOSAL FROM VAST, TO CREATE A 93 MILE LONG FOUR-SEASON RECREATIONAL TRAIL, WAS SELECTED AS THE BEST USE OF THE OLD RAILROAD. VAST HAD BEEN USING THE OLD RAIL BED AS A PART OF ITS SSTS FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THE RFP'S ISSUANCE. VAST CREATED A COMMITTEE CALLED THE LAMOILLE VALLEY RAIL TRAIL COMMITTEE (LVRTC) TO OVERSEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT. THE LVRTC IS COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH MOTORIZED AND NON-MOTORIZED RECREATIONAL VEHICLE USERS. CURRENTLY, IT IS PROJECTED THAT THE TOTAL COST TO COMPLETE THE LVRT WILL BE AROUND 16.8 MILLION AND WILL BE FUNDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE SOURCES.