June 5, 2006 – Snowmobile Report

Arctic Cat hunts for new vice president
Arctic Cat’s Robert Bonev, vice president of sales and marketing, is no longer working for the company, according to a May 9 statement. He had been with Arctic Cat since 2001.
“We appreciate Robert’s contributions during his tenure at Arctic Cat and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Arctic Cat’s Chairman and CEO Christopher Twomey. Until a successor is named, Twomey said marketing will be under his direction. “During this interim period, we have an experienced team in place to ensure a smooth transition,” he said.
Program helps snow-related firms
A program in Maine called No Snow Dough! will help winter-dependent businesses by offering low-interest loans.
The program, backed by Maine Gov. John Baldacci, is run by The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME).
In order to qualify for the loan of up to $75,000, businesses must demonstrate a financial impact directly related to last season’s snowfall. They also need to demonstrate a “reasonable ability to repay” the loan. FAME has put aside $1 million for this loan fund. The interest rate is fixed at prime minus 2 percent. Applications are due on June 30. Applications are available on-line at www.famemaine.com.
Snowmobiles Way Down Under
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History will feature a new photo exhibit documenting life at the south pole.
The exhibit, Wonderous Cold: An Antarctic Journey, will be on display in Washington D.C. until Sept. 4, and then become a part of a traveling show. The images were taken by photographer Joan Myers, who used a variety of transportation on the continent, including snowmobiles.
Suit Filed Over Land Use In Montana
Land use in the Flathead National Forest in Montana is the subject of a newly filed lawsuit.
The suit, filed by the groups Swan View Coalition and Friends of the Wild Swan, claims forest managers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act by not placing enough limits on motorized recreation in the forest. This area is popular with snowmobilers. The groups say the named parties did not follow through on restoration work.
Other Lawsuit News
A Utah lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service was dropped in April when the agency agreed to restore a snowmobile ban in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
The suit was initially filed by several groups, including Nordic United and the Bridgerland Audubon Society. The ban goes into effect on June 1 and covers 4,000 acres, about half of the available forest area. psb