Meeting tonight
Camden Select Board begins review of proposed Snow Bowl budget
Mon, 05/06/2024 - 9:15pm
CAMDEN – The Select Board in Camden will convene May 7 for a regularly scheduled meeting to begin the review of a Camden Snow Bowl budget for 2024-2025, and to again discuss the town’s proposed general budget, which the board agreed at its April meeting to place before voters June 11 at annual town meeting.
The agenda for the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the French Conference Room on Washington Street, includes a list of victualer, lodging, liquor and entertainment licenses for area establishments, as well as notices for street closures (annual Atlantic Street events by the Camden Public Library, including Music by the Sea, July 4), sign hangings (for the annual Camden Hills Regional High School baccalaureate march through downtown, June 3) and the Camden Music Festival Jazz in June.
The agenda also focuses on Harbor Wave Action and Storm Surge Study and a proposed Public Landing Vendor Policy.
Camden’s proposed $12 million 2025 budget, as well as the draft Snow Bowl budget can be reviewed here in the meeting packet.
The proposed Snow Bowl budget, which falls under municipal purview but is a stand-alone budget for ski mountain/recreational area operations, maintenance and enterprise activities, will be presented to the board May 7.
In the meeting packet, available for review here, a memo to the Select Board acknowledges that changing weather patterns and warmer temperatures has been the largest influence on increased costs and decreased revenues at the Snow Bowl. A warm and rainy winter closed the Snow Bowl earlier than anticipated this year, with financial effects on the current budget.
“Temperatures have only been just cold enough to make and keep enough snow to be open in time for the Christmas Holiday week,” the memo said. “Should we have a winter where the Snow Bowl is unable to open in time for this week, we will start the season knowing it almost certainly will end in a deficit. Therefore, if the Town still desires to run the Snow Bowl as a Special Revenue fund, and in a manner consistent with the assumptions outlined above, we must expect to potentially sustain operating losses that will need to be underwritten either by private fundraising or Camden taxpayers.”
The proposed 2025 budget of $1.2 million, up 5.79 percent from the 2024 budget, includes administrative and labor cost increases, as well as increases for Toboggan Nationals, electricity, health insurance and legal expenses. Additionally, the Town Manager and Finance Director work associated with the Snow Bowl has been added to the mountain’s budget.
That $1.2 million in expenses is to be countered by an anticipated revenue line of $1.2 million, producing a break-even budget.
Some of that revenue is expected to derive from an eight percent increase in rental fees, lift tickets, season passes and equipment rentals. There are no increases for the race program or Toboggan Nationals. There is a flat rate increase for locker rentals, from $150 a season to $225. There is no increase for a toboggan chute run, but a $5 increase for tubing runs. Likewise, chairlift rides in the fall will increase from $10 a ticket to $15 per ticket.
A memo to the Select Board said the town will focus on long-range planning for the Snow Bowl.
“ On April 25 we submitted an application for a Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance Recovery Program grant that will provide funding to update past master planning reports and studies, and ultimately develop a new Master Plan,” the memo said. “We are in the very preliminary stages of planning for more four-season activities and opportunities at the Snow Bowl and RMRA. To make future work possible, and easier as it relates to permitting, we are going through the process of obtaining a Maine Site Location of Development (Site Law) permit.
“This permit is required when development may have a considerable impact on the environment. Site Law requires addressing areas such as stormwater management, groundwater protection, infrastructure, wildlife and fisheries, and noise, etc.
The need for a Site Law permit was triggered by the Snow Bowl redevelopment work that exceeded the maximum allowable acreage of development. It’s a complicated and expensive permit to apply for, but the work is well underway to put us into compliance with state law. Applying for this permit has had an unintended effect, as it has reinvigorated conversations on what is needed to finalize a Master Plan for the future.”
Part of the planning will include a focus on building a new lodge. It is to be a year-round community center, the memo said.
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