19 GOVERNOR’S SNOWMOBILE COUNCIL CONTINUED This past winter, Law Enforcement agencies reported as follows: Fish and Wildlife patrolled 720. hours and did 2463 writ- ten/visual inspections 59 tickets/citations/civil violations issued. They also issued 245. warnings. Vermont State Police patrolled 1012.75 hours and did 1485. written/visual inspections. They issued 57.tickets/ citations/civil violations. They, also, issued 162 warnings. The State Police helped with two search and rescue oper- ations. The Vermont Sheriffs Association patrolled 534.hours and performed 2855. written/visual inspections. They issued 33. tickets/citations/civil violations and issued 78. Warn- ings. There were 40. hours patrolled in the Silivio O Conte fish and Wildlife Refuge. Four tickets/citations/civil violations were written. Eight warnings were issued. The Vermont Chief of Police//So. Vt. Snowmobile Task Force patrolled 321.5 hours and, also, did 1356 written/ visual inspections with 44 tickets/citations/civil violations. They issued 64 warnings. All the agency’s combined, patrolled 2307.15 hours, issued 6803.written/visual inspections with 153 Tickets/ citations/civil violations. There were a total of 493 warn- ings issued. Two search and rescues were done with no accidents investigated. The total amount in fines was seventy-six thousand eight hundred ninety-three dollars and thirty-two cents ($76893.32) Near the end-of-the year, our Vermont State Police Safety Course Coordinator, Jere Johnson, announced that he would be retiring after many, many years from his State Police positions. He was a very highly respected, incred- ibly valuable person and mentor to many. Jere will be missed by all of us who have served on the Governor’s Snowmobile Council. FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT Submitted by Tom Baltrus, Treasurer Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support for the sport of snowmobiling in the State of Vermont despite the awful snow conditions we experienced this past year. We all look forward to better circumstances in the future. The Finance Committee is charged to monitor budgetary items and otherwise oversee the finances of the organization. As well, we are responsible to make recommendations to the board of directors for improvements to the financial aspects of the organization. The committee is currently comprised of the executive director, the president and vice president, treasurer, Lamoille County Director Carmin Lemery and Finance Manager Sheila Fenoff-Willett. The committee expresses its thanks to former Bennington County Director Scott Daniels for service rendered early in the year. One important change was put into effect this past year. This was the creation of an online TMA system. This system delivers more money to most clubs in the form of dues, and allows members that prefer to buy their TMAs on line a smooth and fast transaction. We especially saw an increase in three-day TMA sales. This new system flows perfectly with our own accounting system as well. Last and still ongoing is managing the short and long term budgetary effects of this past poor snow years. We are working diligently with other committees and the VAST staff to ensure the adequacy of funding in the future.