JAY — Selectpersons voted Monday to withdraw up to $5,000 from a town recreation reserve account to help the Andy Valley Riders Snowmobile Club buy a new snowmobile to groom 34 miles of trails in town.

The board tabled the club’s request for $19,500 in October to buy two snowmobiles for grooming trails in town. They wanted to review the information before making a decision.

The club had wanted to upgrade its 2002 and 2006 Skandic drag sleds with 2012 to 2014 four-stroke utility sleds.

The four-stroke sleds are much more fuel efficient with an estimated 20 to 23 miles per gallon compared to 5 to 8 mpg, plus the cost of injection oil for the sleds the club now uses, club President Mark Bickford previously said.

The quotes the club received for 2014 sleds were $10,600 for a 2014 Skandic SWT and $9,000 for a Tundra. They also received quotes for a 2013 Viking Pro for $10,999 and one for a 2012 RS Viking Pro at $8,700.

Selectperson Tim DeMillo asked if the club has any alternate sources of revenue that could be applied toward the cost of the sleds.

The club decided they would sell the two existing sleds, if they can get two new machines, Bickford said.

They could use that revenue to buy one of the sleds themselves and if the town buys one, they could get a package deal, he said.

State and grant funding has become very limited, he previously said.

The town’s recreation reserve account had $159,236.31 in it as of Oct. 22. The town leases some land on its recreation lot for a communications tower. Jay is paid $893.50 a month for the lease and a additional carrier, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said. That money goes into the reserve account. Revenue from a timber harvest on the rec land previously went into the account.

Board Chairman Steve McCourt asked how much the club had in its operating budget.

The club pays $9,000 to $10,000 per year for expenses, including fuel, and that is kept in the account, Bickford said.

It has between $15,000 to $20,000 in the account this year, he said.

DeMillo said part of his struggle with the request is his concern that other groups may come forward to request money, once the board sets precedent. There is also concern over timber harvest funds being in the account and another harvest won’t happen for decades, he said.

“Is there any way to meet somewhere in the middle?” he asked. He didn’t believe the board was in a position not to help the club.

Bickford said if they just upgraded their oldest sled, the 2002, it would cost about $10,200.

McCourt asked if replacing one sled this year and getting rid of the older machine sounded reasonable. The club could do a 50/50 deal with the town paying about half the cost of one machine, he said.

The town bought a PistenBully groomer for the club several years ago for about $47,000.

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