JAY — Mark Bickford, president of the Andy Valley Riders Snowmobile Club, told selectpersons Monday that with people losing their jobs and taxes increasing, the club withdraws its request for $5,000 for a snowmobile.

The board voted Nov. 9 to put the club’s request and that of the Area Youth Sports organization for a portion of liability insurance on the town meeting warrant in April. Spruce Mountain Ski Slope’s insurance request already goes before voters annually.

The money for those donations would come out of taxation.

Last year, selectpersons approved $5,000 from the town’s Recreation Reserve Account to help the club replace an older snowmobile with a new one for grooming the town’s trails. The club, which maintain 35 miles of trails and 17 bridges in Jay, had wanted to replace its other snowmobile machine this year and had requested the same amount.

“With people losing their jobs at the Transfer Station and Verso Paper, plus related jobs in the town of Jay, and the taxes on the town residents already increasing $3.25 per $1,000 (of valuation) in the last two years, the members of the snowmobile club do not wish to be any part of an increase in taxes during these trying times in the town of Jay,” Bickford said.

“We respectfully request that there be no article on the town ballot in April that will request money for the snowmobile club out of taxation,” he said. Club members want the money in the reserve account to be used for recreation purposes.

Selectpersons thanked the club for making the decision.

In other business, the board voted to accept the highest bid of $1,000 for a former police cruiser, a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria, that was used at the Transfer Station. The town received 10 bids, ranging from about $329 to the $1,000 from Anthony Violette of Livermore Falls.

The $1,000 was designated to go into the Transfer Station’s capital line. The transaction needs to be completed within 10 days. Otherwise, the board authorized Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere to sell it to the second highest bidder, who offered $926. The third highest was for $787.

In another matter, Chairman Justin Merrill said the town was recognized with the 2015 Androscoggin Partner Award last week by the Androscoggin Land Trust.
The trust gives the award “to the individual or organization sharing its vision and demonstrating with environmental integrity, that the potential of the Androscoggin River and its communities is best realized through collaboration.” 

The town entered into a 40-year lease with the trust earlier this year to maintain 10 acres in Jay known as French Falls Recreation Area and to improve it for recreation purposes. The parcel abuts the Androscoggin River. The lease is $1 a year.

The town’s Recreation Committee and volunteers have already done some cleanup at the property. The committee is developing a plan for future use.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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