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By: Robert Janis
'Our Foundation is
Our Members,’ Said President of All Terrain
Vehicle Association of Minnesota
Question: Should an
organization be managed from the top down or the
bottom up? Many have argued this point, and no
one can really agree. But one thing is certain,
the All Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota
(ATVAM) has lived on the bottom-up concept, and
it has been quite successful.
According to
Ken Irish, president of the group, the mission
of the ATVAM is to:
- Encourage and promote the use of All
Terrain Vehicles
- To advance the general welfare and
safety of ATVs
- To serve the interests of ATV owners
- To promote legislation and regulations
favorable to the use of ATVs
- To develop a fraternal spirit among ATV
clubs and associations
- To provide a medium for exchange of
information regarding the use of ATVs
- To educate about OHV laws
Founded in 1983, the association has a paid
lobbyist who works with legislators at the state
capital while the members work at the local
level to get trails. Irish pointed out that it
is the members who are responsible for working
with local groups to get the agenda of ATV
riders observed and recognized when regulations
and laws are being created.
“We influence local governments by having our
members work with the legislators, local
governments, and the Department of Natural
Resources,” said Irish. “Our focus is on trails,
user needs, using existing trails, showing the
benefits of education on the use of trails,
developing new trails, resolving user conflicts,
getting people on to designated trails, and
getting those trails properly signed.”
Most of the heavy lifting is done at public
meetings held by the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR). The DNR is the major state
agency that deals with the state’s trails.
The organization has been successful in
getting what was needed. For example, it was
involved with legislation that developed youth
safety training programs. It also was a major
player in the creation of the Trail Ambassador
Program.
This program encourages trained ATVers to
volunteer to monitor trails for all sorts of
issues. This includes making certain that the
trails are not damaged by erosion or blow down.
Participants in this program also hand out
information on the state’s OHV regulations and
meet and greet trail users and simply help
people. “If a machine breaks down, our people
will give emergency assistance or call for it,”
said Irish. They also record violations of trail
use in log books. This could include riders who
recklessly drive on the trails, etc. The
organization also helps clubs get grants from
the state and organize special events. For
example, this year it sponsored an attempt to
break the world’s record for the longest ATV
parade. According to Irish, 1,083 ATVers
participated. It fell short. Currently, Kentucky
holds the record. Its event had 1,138 ATVers.
“We’re going to try again next year,” said
Irish.
Members Are the Backbone
The organization is fortified by local clubs
that exist throughout the state of Minnesota.
According to Irish, there are 75 ATV clubs in
Minnesota and each member is encouraged to be a
member of the ATVAM. So it is not surprising to
discover that there are more than 12,000 members
of the organization. Club membership includes
individuals, families and businesses. “In fact,
there are 235 associated business members,” said
Irish. Business members, especially ATV
dealerships, are encouraged to hand out
information on the ATVAM as well as on local
clubs. The advantage of a business in being a
member is that they receive a discount on
advertising in the group’s Bimonthly magazine
“Minnesota Off-Road,” and they are also listed
(name and phone number) in a special section of
the magazine. The yearly membership fee is $20
for individuals and families and $75 for
businesses. There are also lifetime memberships.
Individuals who are 18 to 62 years old pay $325
for a lifetime membership. People who are 63
years-old and older pay $225.
The ATVAM sponsors a number of events
including an ATV fair the first weekend in May,
a convention every September, four general
membership meetings each year, and regular board
meetings where issues are discussed. Local clubs
participate in many of these events. So there is
constant communication running up from the local
clubs to the executives of the association and
vice versa.
Also, to further encourage communication from
the bottom up, the ATVAM holds division meetings
every spring. “Club members attend, and we all
discuss past successes and future issues we need
to focus on; there is always a general
discussion about what direction they want the
ATVAM to go,” said Irish.
Moreover, the association helps to promote
its clubs that hold special events. For example,
three clubs located in northern Minnesota hosts
a ride for the disabled. “Handicapped riders
turn up at the event, and it is more successful
each and every year. Another club hosts a Pork
and Ride event to raise funds for trails,” said
Irish.
Since the local clubs can be said to be the
foundation of the ATVAM, it is not surprising to
learn that the organization assists anyone who
wishes to start a new club. “People who want to
start a club get a start up kit from NOHVCC, and
we also have our own club start up kit that we
provide,” said Irish. “We help to promote the
first meetings of a new club with flyers and
announcements in the newspapers and on radio,
and we send a representative to help facilitate
their actions and answer questions. During the
early meetings, the club is loose knit and just
starting to set up a structure. We help with
that until they are able to do things on their
own.”
Most Urgent Issues and a Website
Irish volunteered that the state of Minnesota
is witnessing a new state forest classification.
“It is a five- year process that is about to
wrap up at the end of this year,” said Irish.
During the process the Department of Natural
Resources evaluates all the state forests
including mapping all the trails in the state
forests and deciding which trails can be used by
motorized recreationists. Public meetings are
being held to discuss this and members of the
ATVAM attend and voice their opinions. They
submit written comments as well.
The association recently put up a new website
(www.atvam.org).
The site includes information on the history of
the group, identifies who the officers are along
with their phone numbers and e-mail addresses,
serves as a point of contact for local clubs and
businesses, offers news, a calendar of events,
information on how to start a club, membership
information, and a way to join the group through
the website, trail updates, links to groups’
websites including the DNR, local clubs and
businesses and manufacturers. There is also a
“chat room” and classified ads where members can
list ATVs and ATV equipment they wish to
sell.For more information about ATVAM, contact
the office administrator at
atvamoffice@atvam.org or phone:
1-800-442-8826
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