22 members were present. The meeting was brought to order at 10:00 a.m. by President Edie Dunlap with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Presidents Report:  Edie Dunlap, breezy1@tdstelme.net  

Welcome old and new members.

We were lucky last year with not losing any trails, this year it is not such great news. The biggest loss is the Nash Stream Bridge. AFM has decided they are not replacing the bridge right now and probably not at all. That is the 3rd time in the last 30 years that the bridge has washed out. It would cost between 70 to 90 thousand dollars to replace that bridge. There is another bridge on the same closed section that had one end drop about 2 feet and is washed out on that section as well. Everything is in an exploring mode for other trails around this section which we will be working on. For right now there will only be one way from Stratton to Rangeley this year and that will be leaving Flagstaff, over Brochu Bridge, up SFT road, Canyon, Quill Hill and then to Rangeley. Eustis will also go the same way. 

The club voted to pay for the yearly fee of $69.98 for the Onyx app to be installed on Dale and Fred’s phone. This will be a great help to them when they are out working on the trails to know which landowner’s property they are on, be able to GPS the trails and leave way points where work needs to be done. 

Dale and Edie went to the ATV banquet May 3rd.The best news was the Governor signed the gas tax bill LD2276.The ATV program use to get .15% of the gas tax and we will now get .45%. Not a huge increase this year but they will be doing a new study in the next year or two so will end up getting more at that point. 

The Governor also signed the Maine Trails Bond so it will now be on the November ballot for a vote and has the support from all trail users. This proposal is to provide $7.5 million per year for four years in grants for all types of motorized and non-motorized trail projects. Some trails need urgent attention due to recent storms and the new ideas for future trails are emerging in every part of Maine. This $30 million Maine Trails Bond has the endorsement from more than 500 organizations, businesses and towns across Maine and it would be a first-ever Trails Bond.

Some notes of interest were: 20 years ago, $138,000 was spent on trail maintenance, last year 3.7 million and this year it is projected that 4.5 million will be spent on trail maintenance. 

In the last 18 months the registration of boats has gone down 3%, snowmobiles down 10% and 

ATV registrations up 84%. 

Polaris Ride Command is working with the state on updating their maps on their app. Hopefully it will keep riders off from trails that have been closed for years but still show up on some of these apps. 

Brian Bronson handed out hats for volunteers with 40 or more hours. ATV Maine decided this year to give a couple of additional awards. They awarded a battery-operated chainsaw to the club (there are 66 clubs) with the most volunteer hours last year. The saw was awarded to the Flagstaff ATV Club with 791.5 hours. They also gave an award to the individual who logged the most volunteer hours last year. Congratulations to Fred Smith from our club for logging the most volunteer hours – 439 hours, he was awarded a $50 Irving gift card. 

I have contacted the Red Onion in Rangeley about our yearly ride in July as well as Tim Pond for their date in August, just waiting for their reply. Our end of the year cook out at Natanis will be the last Saturday in September which is the 28th. Family Fun Days will be the first weekend in August again this year so will keep that in mind for club participation. 

Our grant has been submitted to the state for $66,922.50. It is not as much as previous years but with the loss of trails we will not have as many miles to take care of as we usually have. 

Dale and Edie attended an “All Hands-on Deck Motorized Club Meeting for High Peaks Region” last Saturday in Strong. There were ATV and snowmobile clubs from a lot of the towns in the Western Maine Region represented. The adjective was for each club to report on the major issues they were all facing for the upcoming seasons, getting a committee together to coordinate information to get out to everyone and let the clubs know what funding opportunities available and also what clubs are can help with everyone working together. 

There are a lot of clubs that have lost 1, 2 and 3 major bridges/roads on their trail system. Some clubs were able to find help with neighboring clubs once everyone got on the same page and worked towards connecting trails back together. 

Edie is on the committee and will report once we have more meetings. 

Members voted to donate $300.00 to the Stratton-Eustis Lions Club for their 3 programs to help the children in our area with food, clothing and Christmas gifts throughout the year. 

Vice President: Sandi Isgro, sandi.whitewolf@gmail.com

Sandi said there have been a lot of questions about 2-wheel motorized bikes not being allowed on our trails. It was explained that we sign contracts with our 3 major landowners and all of them prohibit the motorcycles/dirt bikes on their land. It is not a club decision but a landowner’s decision. 

Trail Master’s Account: Dale Dunlap, breezy1@tdstelme.net

Expenses: Campbell’s Hardware: $48.51 for Padlock and chain for Wagner gate, T & L Enterprises: $210.99 for battery for dump trailer, Pines: $25.00 for fuel, Walmart: $103.07 for oil, wire tires, Penetrating Oil, Printer Cartridges. 

Total Expenses: $387.57 

Treasurer’s Report: Gloria Smith, fredgloria@msn.com 

Income:

Memberships – $1810.00, Donations – $1455.00 

Total Deposits: $3265.00

Expenses:

Coplin Power Sports – $1055.20, Rangeley Lakes Building Supply (Fasteners & grade stakes) – $72.11, Atlantic Coastal Printing (maps) – $367.40, Mount Vernon Insurance Company (Directors $ Officers Insurance) – $475.00

Total Expenses: $1969.71

Secretary’s Report:    

Memberships this year to date:  92 

71 Regular Memberships, including 4 new ones.

21 Business Memberships, including 1 new one.

Trail Master’s Report: Dale Dunlap, breezy1@tdstelme.net 

TRAILS WILL OPEN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Trail Conditions: Dale and Fred have been out checking trails and the major work will be going on in the next few weeks. Please use caution and watch for machinery on the trails, stop and wait until the operator sees you and motions you by. Thank you.  

We have the 2 Park’n rides again this year, one across from Flagstaff General Store in Stratton and the other one in Eustis on Caldwell Road, about ½ mile above Pines Market. 

Use Caution on the trail behind Flagstaff General as it has been washed out in places. Please follow the temporary trail marked around the worst of the washouts until we get them fixed. As always please ride safe and have patience as we are working as quickly as we can to get all the places fixed. 

75 bales of hay were picked up and stored for use on the trail. 

The 50/50 was won by Jeff Babineau who donated it back to the club, thank you.  Door Prize was won by Gloria Smith. 

Meeting adjourned at 11:00 am

Our next meeting will be on June 9th, 2024, at 10:00 am at the Stratton Community Building.