8711-R2_MSA_May2024_Newsletter

MESSAGE FROM JOE HIGGINS AT MAINE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY

Hello Fellow Snowmobilers and Volunteers, I think we have all heard enough about a winter that came with more challenges than we would like to think about. Major rain, wind and flooding in December, another coastal storm that dev astated the trails along the coast and effected clubs in January to a lack of snow Statewide. With all these obstacles, volunteers and clubs still got many trails open and when we did have snow, there was some good riding. supplies.

to replace. Again, congratulations Brian, I hope you have the best retirement and good health. A few last thanks to all the land owners who have allowed trails on their property and been so helpful through all the challenges we had this year just to get trails open. To all the club volunteers who spend 1000’s of hours clear ing brush, blow downs, repairing bridges and grooming trails for all to enjoy.Thank you to the MSA for keeping an eye on legislation, working with representatives and senators on some very challeng ing bills. And for all you do for the snowmobile clubs in doing what you can to help them be success ful. And lastly, to my staff, none of this would be possible without the great team that we have here at the State of Maine Snowmobile Program office. Have a great summer, stay healthy and spend quality time with your families.

I hope that you all have sent in your Club and Municipal Request for Reimbursements in as April 30th was the deadline. We’ll be finish ing those up with in the next few weeks. If any club is considering upgrading their grooming equip ment and applying for a Capital Equipment Grant, you have until June 15 th , 2024, to contact us and get your application in. I would like to welcome our newest office staff member Vanessa Hass, Vanessa has filled the position of Administrative Assistant that was Candice. She brings good experi ence with her. We are very happy that Candice Pinkham is still with our ORV office, filling the posi tion of Senior Planner, which was vacated when Lana retired. I’d like to take a minute to congratulate Brian Bronson on his upcoming retirement. This will be a huge vacancy for our Off-Road Office, and he will be greatly missed. Brian has decades of knowledge and experience that will be hard

I for one will just put this last win ter season in the closet and leave it there. Now it’s time to start plan ning and preparing for all the trail and bridge projects that we must work on this summer to be ready for a better snowmobile season next year. As always, if you have a major trail project, whether that be a bridge or trail rebuild, let us know and if we have materials available, any club is welcome to any supplies that we have. As most know we work closely with a lot of MDOT locations and will sometimes accumulate beams, culverts and other useful trail

Joe Higgins

The Maine Snowmobiler is an official publication of the Maine Snowmobile Association

Vol. 55, No.8, May2024 • ISSN-0195-2870 The Maine Snowmobiler

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To purchase Advertising Space in The Maine Snowmobiler, contact our Office Manager, 207-622-6983, mainesnowmobileassociation.com The Maine Snowmobiler welcomes submissions from MSA members, including but not limited to, club news, calendar listings, photographs, letters to the editor, articles of general and technical interest. Submissions may be edited. Address to: Editor, Maine Snowmobiler, PO Box 80, Augusta, ME. 04332, mainesnowmobileassociation. com All opinions expressed by contributing writers in the Maine Snowmobiler are their own and do not neces sarily reflect the opinions of this publication. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: The Maine Snowmobile Association, PO Box 80, Augusta, Maine 04332 The Maine Snowmobiler (USPS #859-920) is published 7 times a year by the Maine Snowmobile Association, Inc., 7 Noyes St Place, Augusta, Maine 04330. Periodical postage paid at Augusta, Maine and additional offices. Seasonal subscription provided to MSA members as a benefit of their annual dues. $3.00 of the $15 membership fee is applied to the cost of the publication. Subscriptions are available to non-members at a cost of $30/season. r r r r r

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