Members of the Lewis County ATV Roundtable met by videoconference to review outreach plans, funding ideas and trail priorities and to prepare for an upcoming white paper presentation for municipalities.

"I sent it out with the invitation on the agenda. Thursday, December 11 at 07:00, Boonville, at the Boonville Municipal Offices. Veil Commission will be doing a presentation on their white paper," said Speaker 2, who led the meeting and the draft 2026 goals discussion. The group also decided to cancel its December meeting because of the holidays.

The roundtable’s draft goals for 2026 center on expanding and connecting the trail network, improving trail navigation and infrastructure, boosting community and business engagement, developing sustainable funding mechanisms and maintaining the county’s role as an industry leader. Speaker 2 asked clubs to help identify landowners for new access and to consider growing an ambassador program to assist with outreach and on‑trail contacts.

A major agenda item was a proposed sign initiative that would install kiosks, trail names and a sponsorship program. "Some of that will fall into other categories as well," Speaker 2 said, suggesting memorial naming opportunities and donor recognition for recent donations.

The group discussed permit sales and visitor behavior. Speaker 2 said that over the last six years the roundtable’s metrics are up ‘‘on everything other than permits’’ while three‑day passes are increasing. "So 3 day passes, are they the new people?" Speaker 2 asked; members suggested shared events and targeted marketing to convert short‑stay visitors into longer‑stay permit buyers.

To increase point‑of‑sale convenience, members noted six businesses currently sell permits and discussed expanding the retail network to fill geographic gaps and capture impulse buyers. The roundtable also considered staffed permit booths at large events and continued use of electronic sales via iPads.

Funding and branding ideas included sponsorships for amenities (porta‑potties, picnic tables), Lewis County merchandise sales and donor recognition. Speaker 3 reported an $800 donation from the recently dissolved Road Runner ATV Club and said part of the funds would be used to build tables and benches for county trails.

Members raised operational hurdles as well: Speaker 5 said clubs cannot obtain liability insurance for club‑owned 4‑wheelers unless the vehicles are registered in an individual’s name, limiting how clubs can deploy club‑owned equipment for trail work. The roundtable discussed exploring grant partnerships and vendor sponsorships to help address funding gaps.

The county’s recent acquisition of a railroad bed drew interest. Speaker 5 said the county is beginning a master plan that will include community outreach, public input sessions and an assessment of walking versus motorized trail use; the roundtable agreed to monitor the process and share updates on the Lewis County Facebook page and a county web page.

The meeting closed with scheduling: the next roundtable meeting will be Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. No formal motions or votes were recorded during the session.