All Special Events at BMRA

The below was copied from the TMTC website.  I thought club with MegaRun would need this.  Sounds like something that was needed for BMRA and TMTC.  I think it is a good thing for all.
 
 
All Special Events At Bmra

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Notice to all clubs and other groups wishing to schedule special events at Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area:

A new policy has been approved by the BMRA Operations Board regarding the use of the Park for private special events that are held during regular weekends (when the Park is open to the general membership). All clubs or other groups wishing to utilize the Park for their private event promotions are required to execute a formal Contract for Services with the BMRA Operations Board.

This policy does not change the existing provisions for any club or other group to schedule private special events at Barnwell. Private special events are not only allowed, but encouraged. The Board wants to provide a safe and enjoyable place for all responsible off-roaders, whether they are "outriders" or part of a club.

This policy does not change the fact that private special events may be scheduled at no cost to the clubs or other groups that promote them. The new policy and Contract for Services does not require any payment as a condition of the agreement.

As many of our members are aware, TMTC originally purchased a general liability insurance policy covering BMRA. The events of September 11, 2001, significantly altered the availability of speciality insurance coverage in America, and when our coverage expired in 2002 we were not permitted to renew the policy. This situation is not unique to TMTC or BMRA; countless other entities lost insurance coverage due to the attacks of 9/11, and have not been able to obtain new coverage.

The BMRA Operations Board has unanimously agreed that its function is the administration of BMRA, and not the promotion of events at the Park. Elsewhere in this forum there is another thread titled "Legal Questions", and we suggest interested parties to locate and read that thread - it gives some background for the decision reached by the Board.

The new policy and Contract for Services is based on this logic; the BMRA Operations Board is not a promoter, but it will gladly work with promoters who wish to utilize the Park.

We recognize two basic types of special event promotions:
1) events which rent the park and take control of the gate to hold events
that are not open to the general membership (such as sanctioned atv &
motorcycle races, Superlift at the Mountain, and Toyota Trail Riders and
Texas Rovers SCARR events). This class of event has always required a
formal contract between the promoter and TMTC/BMRA.
2) events that occur during open weekends, when the Park is available for the
general membership (whether they take part in the special event or not).
This class of event will now require a formal Contract for Services.
Both types of events will continue to be held at Barnwell.

The Contract for Services is a short document, which must be signed by a person who is authorized to represent the organization promoting the event, and officers of the BMRA Operations Board.
The principal provisions in the Contract are;
1) a clear statement that TMTC/BMRA are not the promoters of the event,
2) the statement that the organization that is promoting the event is aware
of all the rules that govern the Park, and agrees that it will abide by those
rules,
3) if the promoter has a liability waiver which must be signed to take part in
the special event, that waiver shall name TMTC/BMRA among the parties
held harmless.

If your club or other group is planning to hold an event at Barnwell please contact myself (or any other member of the BMRA Operations Board), and provide us with your e-mail address. We will forward a copy of the Contract for Services for your organizations use. (PM to graybeard.tom_mitchell, hawk, etex77, George Caraway, Chris Jester, or Oakey.)
We are willing to answer other questions and provide whatever information is needed to clarify this policy, and we ask for your cooperation.

thank you,
tom mitchell
BMRA Operations Board

 

 

 

It does not specify that under the first option, we would be required to provide our own event insurance, which if that is true, is good.
 
They do say that it does not mean special payment to the park is required, but I would assume that is required.
 
We've talked about taking over the park before.  I am not sure we want to do that anyway. Attendance has been very good, with some people signing up just because they are at the park.
 
 

ORIGINAL: Creepy

It does not specify that under the first option, we would be required to provide our own event insurance, which if that is true, is good.

Have we, as a club, ever looked at obtaining liability insurance for Mega Run?

if we do my cosin is the number 1 insurance sales person in texas and she could hook us up

ORIGINAL: equin

ORIGINAL: Creepy

It does not specify that under the first option, we would be required to provide our own event insurance, which if that is true, is good.

Have we, as a club, ever looked at obtaining liability insurance for Mega Run?

 
Isn't that what the waivers are for?

I'm no personal injury lawyer, so I don't know.  And please don't anyone think this is legal advice - because it's not - but even with the best written, "iron-clad" waiver, in my personal opinion (not legal opinion, mind you), I still think liability insurance would be a good idea.  Then again, I understand it can be expensive, if not impossible, to get.

ORIGINAL: chris89yj

if we do my cosin is the number 1 insurance sales person in texas and she could hook us up

That's good to know!  Please PM me her contact info, and I'll contact her regarding liability insurance unless the BOD and club officers say otherwise. 

Also, after getting nickel-and-dimed to death with medical bills last year (even with "full coverage" health insurance), I'm thinking of adding supplemental medical and disability insurance.  Maybe she could help me with that, too.

i guess we will need to look int othis pretty hard and fast.
 
i know from experience that recreational insurance is EXTREMELY hard to get... and high....
 
if TMTC and BMRA cannot get it or afford it.... it will be extremely hard for us to afford it as well.
 
i think we need to all start pulling our resources and find out our options.
 

I could be wrong, but I believe Toyota Landcruiser Association (TLCA) events include liability insurance.  The events also cost alot more, too.  I'll see if I can find out for sure, though, and get back to you....

Hmm, that's funny, the first three letters in the word "a-s-s-o-c-i-a-t-i-o-n" were replaced with asteriks.  Guess it's a sensitive filter; but hey, we are the best family-oriented 4x4 club around!

If I remember right, we have looked into insurance before and is either high or hard to get.  I believe that this is just saying that TMTC and BMRA needs to be held harmless.

They have held this stance since we started having mega run out there.  They just have, what looks like put it in writting in the bylaws.  The waiver we have will protect us.  The founding members paid good money to have an attorney draw it up.  Yes we have looked into the insurance thing and WOW!  Expensive!  Steve chime in here, or roy, butch they would know all the details.

I dont remember the exact figure on insurance, and Im sure its gone up since we checked, but it was ALOT.  (ie: thousands of dollars for the weekend)  The fact that TMTC cannot secure insurance should be a real good indication that we as a small, non dues club wont have a chance in H#!! of getting it...
The waiver, while drawn up by a lawyer, is never going to be iron clad if you get a real jerk and an even better lawyer taking you to court for something.  It will help, but there are always loop holes that you or your high paid attorney can find and manipulate. 
Its always worth checking on, maybe it can be had for cheap now???  LOL!!  Yeah right, who am I kiddin!!!

Yeah, I kind of figured insurance would be very expensive.  Let's face it.  In a hobby where rollovers, vehicle stucks and parts breakage are common, an insurance carrier probably has no choice but to charge an arm and a leg - no pun intended....

I know next to nothing about this stuff...but im guessing theres no way each participant could just sign something saying BMRA wont be help liable for any mishaps? How does all that work?

we could just right into our bylaws that members and rigs must have full coverage insurnce to partipate. though i do see a problem with that on strickly tral rigs or buggies so that might not work.

Basically what the new rule is saying, is that if we don't have the insurance then we have to have "in our waivers"  it must include that the signed party does not hold BMRA or TMTC liable for anything as well.... we already have it saying will not hold DFW-TX4WD liable... we will just need to add  BMRA and TMTC to the waiver.
 
 
 
nothing big or major will need to change from the way we are doing it now.
 

that would be sweet...and cheaper.