SMSA - Chair Chat - November 2008

I would like to start out by stating that SMSA is a great organization and I am very proud to be your Chair.  I am excited to continue to build the forward momentum this organization has taken the past several years.  As state programs improve SMSA has access to resources that can assist others and promote quality rider training.  You can assist by taking some time to submit your best practices for efficiency, effectiveness and impact on motorcycle crashes.  The SMSA wants to share these with all the members and then have some presented at the August conference.  SMSA needs to move forward for both State Administrators and Rider Training to help reduce injuries and fatality crashes.

Your Executive Committee has been busy for the past two months.  We held a conference call in September and we met in Wisconsin in October.  We have reviewed the conference evaluations and are taking your comments very seriously.  We have started to work on the August conference in Madison and putting into place some of your requests.  The Business Meeting will have more information given to the members.  The committee chairs have been working hard in making the committees more substantial.  We should have more information on what the committees are doing over the next few months.

We have been concerned about the website and the delay in getting it updated.  There are areas on the website that Ruth can do but there are areas that we need the webmaster’s assistance.  The webmaster has been extremely busy and had some medical issues.  He is in the process of getting some employees hired and getting caught up from being gone.  The Executive Committee will be watching this closely so the website can continue to be a useful tool to our members.

The Professional Development Workshops will continue for next year.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has extended our contract for another year to continue with the workshops.  The curriculum team is currently sending in suggestions of ideas for next year.  A pilot of the workshop will be held in Madison, Wisconsin during the spring meeting.

The Executive Committee reviewed the Strategic Goals and progress.  This will be watched to make sure we continue in a forward momentum for SMSA.

The Project Manager will be attending some meetings for SMSA; she will be attending the Bi-Regional Motorcycle Safety Forum NHTSA Region 1&2.  When she notified them that she will be attending she was asked to present at the luncheon meeting.  Diane DeVivo will present on a panel along with Ray Gaulin from Connecticut and Bill Pautler from New York.

I will send you updates of what the Executive Committee is working on to keep you in the loop.

Ride safe.

Carol Thurn
SMSA Chair