JAY — Selectpersons voted unanimously Monday to table a request for $19,500 from the Andy Valley Riders Snowmobile Club to buy two snowmobiles for grooming trails in town.
Club members requested the money be allocated from the town’s recreation reserve account. The board will take up the request at its next meeting, Monday, Nov. 10.
Selectpersons received the club’s information just before their meeting.
Chairman Steve McCourt said he would like to have had the letter in the packet so he could read it before the meeting.
“I didn’t see it until I saw it in a local store,” he said.
Selectpersons tabled action on the request so that they could review the club’s information.
Newly elected club President Mark Bickford of Jay said it was his first time presenting to the board.
The club would like to upgrade its 2002 and 2006 Skandic drag sleds with 2012-14 four-stroke utility sleds.
Revenue from other sources, including the state, has declined over the years, he said
The club spends approximately $10,000 each year on fuel, insurance and materials for bridges and related trail expenses.
“The newer sleds come with four-stroke engines that are much more fuel efficient with an estimated 20 to 23 miles per gallon, which is a great improvement from the current 5 to 8 mpg, plus the cost of injection oil for the sleds the club now uses,” Bickford said.
The new sleds would help to reduce the overall operating cost for the club, he said.
The sleds are primarily used to drag the trails in Jay and keep them smooth between grooming runs with the larger PistenBully groomer.
The club has approximately 50 members and grooms 34 miles of trails in Jay.
The trail system helps bring in commerce to the town, he said.
Quotes from dealers received are $10,600 for a 2014 Skandic SWT and $9,000 for Tundra or $10,999 for a 2013 Viking Pro and $8,700 for a 2012 RS Viking Pro.
The prices do not reflect any credit for trade-ins or selling the old sleds, Bickford said.
The dragging equipment would be attached to the newer sleds.
Usually, when the board receives something like this, McCourt said it is discussed during the budget process.
“This is considered a donation,” he said. “We like to do all of our donations at budget time.”
“I would like to have some time to digest this,” Selectperson Tom Goding said.
He wanted to review the information, especially when they’re talking about $19,500, he said.
“I would suggest you go to dealers and get some prices on what they would give you for trade-in and then come back,” McCourt said.
He said the board needs to find how much is in the recreation account before making a decision.
Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said prior to the meeting that as of Oct. 22 there was $159,236.31 in the account.
Revenue from a communications tower lease on the town’s recreation land goes into the reserve account that is used for recreational purposes.
SBA Communications Corp., headquartered in Florida, pays the town $793.50 a month for the lease, plus an additional $100 a month for an additional carrier. Revenue from a timber harvest on the rec land also previously went into the account.
The town has used the reserve in the past to pay for the town’s share of Area Youth Sports liability insurance and other related recreation expenses.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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