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http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=790eb621-75df-4862-a26b-3ceb0b210b57
No-snow 'disaster' sought in N. Country
By PAULA TRACY
Union Leader Staff
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007
CONCORD – With a dearth of snow and cold days hurting North Country tourism, recreation and logging businesses, the governor has been asked to declare an emergency and request federal disaster aid for those five northern counties.
Yesterday, Gov. John Lynch met at the State House with more than 40 North Country business leaders. He was told:
Hotels and motels in the North Country saw business down 40 percent to 60 percent during the holidays and have on average an 80 percent vacancy rate.
Ski areas are down 40 percent to 60 percent in the year-to-date visitor numbers, with 30 percent of the season over.
Snowmobile dealers are not able to sell last year's stock, let alone this year's. They are laying off workers and, in some cases, closing. A lack of snow to groom has forced the layoff of trail groomers. The lack of sled registrations will hurt next year's trail-maintenance budgets.
Loggers are not able to get timber out of the woods because the ground is not yet frozen. This will affect supply at mills, particularly in spring, when the traditional mud season hits.
Retailers are reporting business down 25 percent to 30 percent in the North Country.
There is no ice fishing because the lakes are not frozen, and that is affecting retailers who rely on selling bait and supplies.
"I wish we could have 10 feet of snow on the ground, but we don't," Lynch said.
George Bald, commissioner of the state Department of Resources and Economic Development, who directed the meeting, began it by introducing Bill Phillips of the U.S. Small Business Association. He outlined what would be needed to get a declaration of a disaster so that low-cost, long-term loans could be released to help businesses survive.
He noted that Vermont, facing a similar scenario, is also looking to a possible disaster declaration.
Phillips said Lynch would have to request such a declaration by county and would have to show that at least five businesses have suffered from the lack of snow and cold for a disaster to be declared.
►ATV trails reopening for business
"That should not be difficult to prove," Phillips said.
"One of the things that needs to occur is a group from the state should be visiting businesses to determine how many are economically injured by this occurrence," Phillips said.
Business leaders went around the table in the Executive Council chamber and outlined the effect.
It included layoffs of workers, businesses being refused credit lines, others facing franchise problems and log supply issues that could lead to layoffs in the spring if this becomes a perpetual mud season.
"You can't make up for lost time," state Forester Phil Bryce said.
Jim Tibbetts, president of First Colebrook Bank, said he met yesterday with 26 lodge owners in the Pittsburg area who said they have held on as long as they can and are beginning to lay off workers because of the shortage of snowmobilers. He said the effect is not just on lodging but also on retailers who rely on a steady stream of winter business. Loggers, he said, are idling their equipment, which they purchased with bank loans, and while they have a bit of a time cushion, they will not be able to get in the woods when March's mud season comes.
Bald asked the group to talk about some positive steps that might be taken to improve the situation while noting that weather forecasts for the coming weeks call for snow and cold temperatures.
One suggestion was to get help from the state in the form of a reprieve from paying rooms and meals taxes for affected businesses. Another suggestion was to gather political and regional pressure to help snowmobile dealers with some relief from their franchise agreements.
Another idea was to declare February school vacation week a tax-free week to attract visitors.
Opening some ATV trails to ATV use in the North Country was discussed. Working with ski areas to allow snowmobilers to use the man-made snow trails and perhaps have hill-climb competitions at night was another idea.
Working collectively to get the message out when snow arrives was also discussed by Alice DeSouza, director of travel and tourism. The media blitz would focus on southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
"We do understand there is a sense of urgency here," Bald said. "There are a lot of people impacted by this."
No-snow 'disaster' sought in N. Country
By PAULA TRACY
Union Leader Staff
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007
CONCORD – With a dearth of snow and cold days hurting North Country tourism, recreation and logging businesses, the governor has been asked to declare an emergency and request federal disaster aid for those five northern counties.
Yesterday, Gov. John Lynch met at the State House with more than 40 North Country business leaders. He was told:
Hotels and motels in the North Country saw business down 40 percent to 60 percent during the holidays and have on average an 80 percent vacancy rate.
Ski areas are down 40 percent to 60 percent in the year-to-date visitor numbers, with 30 percent of the season over.
Snowmobile dealers are not able to sell last year's stock, let alone this year's. They are laying off workers and, in some cases, closing. A lack of snow to groom has forced the layoff of trail groomers. The lack of sled registrations will hurt next year's trail-maintenance budgets.
Loggers are not able to get timber out of the woods because the ground is not yet frozen. This will affect supply at mills, particularly in spring, when the traditional mud season hits.
Retailers are reporting business down 25 percent to 30 percent in the North Country.
There is no ice fishing because the lakes are not frozen, and that is affecting retailers who rely on selling bait and supplies.
"I wish we could have 10 feet of snow on the ground, but we don't," Lynch said.
George Bald, commissioner of the state Department of Resources and Economic Development, who directed the meeting, began it by introducing Bill Phillips of the U.S. Small Business Association. He outlined what would be needed to get a declaration of a disaster so that low-cost, long-term loans could be released to help businesses survive.
He noted that Vermont, facing a similar scenario, is also looking to a possible disaster declaration.
Phillips said Lynch would have to request such a declaration by county and would have to show that at least five businesses have suffered from the lack of snow and cold for a disaster to be declared.
►ATV trails reopening for business
"That should not be difficult to prove," Phillips said.
"One of the things that needs to occur is a group from the state should be visiting businesses to determine how many are economically injured by this occurrence," Phillips said.
Business leaders went around the table in the Executive Council chamber and outlined the effect.
It included layoffs of workers, businesses being refused credit lines, others facing franchise problems and log supply issues that could lead to layoffs in the spring if this becomes a perpetual mud season.
"You can't make up for lost time," state Forester Phil Bryce said.
Jim Tibbetts, president of First Colebrook Bank, said he met yesterday with 26 lodge owners in the Pittsburg area who said they have held on as long as they can and are beginning to lay off workers because of the shortage of snowmobilers. He said the effect is not just on lodging but also on retailers who rely on a steady stream of winter business. Loggers, he said, are idling their equipment, which they purchased with bank loans, and while they have a bit of a time cushion, they will not be able to get in the woods when March's mud season comes.
Bald asked the group to talk about some positive steps that might be taken to improve the situation while noting that weather forecasts for the coming weeks call for snow and cold temperatures.
One suggestion was to get help from the state in the form of a reprieve from paying rooms and meals taxes for affected businesses. Another suggestion was to gather political and regional pressure to help snowmobile dealers with some relief from their franchise agreements.
Another idea was to declare February school vacation week a tax-free week to attract visitors.
Opening some ATV trails to ATV use in the North Country was discussed. Working with ski areas to allow snowmobilers to use the man-made snow trails and perhaps have hill-climb competitions at night was another idea.
Working collectively to get the message out when snow arrives was also discussed by Alice DeSouza, director of travel and tourism. The media blitz would focus on southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
"We do understand there is a sense of urgency here," Bald said. "There are a lot of people impacted by this."
:lol:
