THE MILLINOCKET
TUCKER SNO CAT PURCHASE

How it all began

      It was in June of 1988 when the Northern Timber Cruisers Snowmobile Club came to grips with reality that the club would have to discontinue trail grooming and maintenance of 138 miles of snowmobile trails due to a lack of feasible equipment and a lack of financial funding.

      It was on July 31, 1988 that a highly documented presentation was made by the club to the Millinocket Town Council and the Millinocket Chamber of Commerce about the importance of snowmobiling to the local economy. Facts and figures were presented by club members detailing the dollar amounts spent by snowmobilers in the Millinocket area. Councilors appeared amicable to the clubs plight but urged the club to bring a more definite plan before them so that it may be discussed in depth and the specifics explored.

      On August 11, 1988 the Northern Timber Cruisers Snowmobile Club and the Millinocket Town Council met for a work shop to discuss a five year plan for financing a trail maintenance program and purchasing new or used grooming equipment with drags. The club presented a portfolio of figures and costs as to the man hours of maintenance the trail system requires yearly as well as a cost breakdown for new equipment to groom with. An in depth economic impact study of snowmobiling to the area was also presented. It was determined as a result of the study that snowmobiling in the area meant over 1.15 million dollars to the community during the short snow season. As numerous club members spoke of the importance of a well maintained trail system, a five year plan for grooming as well as important points brought out from the impact study, it became obvious to all those present at the meeting that snowmobile travel in the area must continue and should be continued on safely maintained trails.

      On September 14, 1988 the Millinocket Town Council voted to purchase two new Tucker Snow Cats equipped with 8'hatch type drags after considering costs for the same only used equipment. The $110,000 to purchase the two machines and hydraulic drags are viewed presently in 1992 to have been a wise financial commitment to economic stability in Millinocket during the winter months. Financing of the trail maintenance program came from a Municipal Grant In Aid Program which allows municipalities funding for snowmobile trail maintenance as such under the provisions set forth by the Bureau of Parks and Recreation Snowmobile Trail Fund.