The National Weather Service is predicting slightly colder weather over the next few days, but not much in terms of snow.
Normally by this time of season, Concord has had about 2 feet of snow fall.
But this winter, less than 2 inches has fallen on the Capital.
While southern New Hampshire's economy doesn't depend on snow, many of the businesses in the North Country do.
And as NHPR Correspondent Todd Wellington reports, the economy there is suffering.
FOR THE THIRD WINTER IN A ROW THE NORTH COUNTRY ECONOMY HAS BEEN STIFLED BY WEEKS OF WARM TEMPERATURES AND RAIN.
SKI AREAS CAN RELY ON SNOWMAKING MACHINES TO KEEP THE SLOPES OPEN, EVEN IF ATTENDANCE IS DOWN.
BUT OTHER KEY SECTORS -- ESPECIALLY SNOWMOBILING – ARE ONCE AGAIN AT A STANDSTILL.
SPENCER HUDSON IS OWNER OF THE ALL-AROUND POWER STORE - LOCATED JUST ACROSS THE BORDER IN ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT.
FOR NEARLY 20-YEARS HE’S BEEN SELLING AND RENTING SNOWMOBILES TO CUSTOMERS ACROSS NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND.
THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN DEALERS SHOULD BE BUSY.
BUT ON TUESDAY, HUDSON’S ROUTE-2 SHOWROOM WAS ANYTHING BUT AS HE TRIED TO INTERIST HIS LONE VISITOR IN A NEW SNOWMOBILE TRAILER.
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(“…CAN I SELL YOU A SNOWMOBILE TRAILER. THIS PARTICLAR BRAND HERE AS THULE – THEY’RE ALL ALUMINUM - VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE SNOWMOBILE INDUSTRY, WELL MADE….â€)
HUDSON SAYS THE WARM TREND BEGAN IN THE WINTER OF 2005 AND WAS FOLLOWED BY AN EVEN WORSE 2006.
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(“…WHAT MAKES THIS YEAR WORSE THAN THOSE - OBVIOUSLY WE STARTED OUT WITH NO SNOW AND WE STILL HAVE NO SNOW – IS THOSE BAD SEASONS BEFORE, ESPECIALLY LAST YEAR BEING AN ABSOLUTE WASH-OUT, NO SEASON. I’VE SEEN SEASONS IN THE 20-YEARS WHERE WE HAVEN’T HAD SNOW UP TO THIS POINT BUT THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SO MUCH WORSE- IS THE CONSECTIVE YEARS WE’RE RUNNING INTO. WE HAVE A LOT OF WINTER LEFT BUT IT’S CERTAINLY TAKING A TOLL ON US, THAT’S FOR SURE.â€)
FEWER SNOWMOBILES MEANS FEWER SNOWMOBILE REGISTRATIONS.
DATA FROM THE NEW HAMSPHIRE'S FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT SHOW THAT IN 2006 ALONE - IN AND OUT- OF-STATE SNOWMOBILE REGISTRATIONS DROPPED BY ABOUT 18-THOUSAND.
AND NORTH COUNTRY HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND SKI AND SNOWBOARD RENTAL SHOPS ARE ALSO REPORTING SLOW SALES.
BUT TOURISM ISN’T THE ONLY SECTOR SUFFERING.
THE WARM, RAINY WEATHER HAS ALSO KEPT THE GROUND SO SOFT THAT LOGGERS CAN'T GET THEIR EQUIPMENT INTO THE WOODS FOR HARVESTING.
JASEN STOCK HEADS THE NEW HAMPSHIRE TIMBERLAND OWNERS ASSOCIATION
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(“…WHEN YOU GET NORTH OF THE NOTCHES – AND YOU GET UP AT SOME OF THE HARDWOOD TIMBER STANDS – YOU NEED GOOD FROZEN GROUND AND THIS YEAR’S ITS BEEN LATE COMING AND THAT’S CAUSED A LOT OF LOGGERS TO IDLE THEIR EQUIPMENT. LOGGING’S LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS. THE PRODUCT THEY PRODUCE ARE LOGS AND IF THEY’RE NOT PRODUCING LOGS THEIR CASH FLOW SUFFERS AND IT HASN’T BEEN A REAL GOOD YEAR SO FAR.â€)
STOCK ALSO ECHOS THE CONCERNS OF THE SNOWMOBILE INDUSTRY SAYING THE SITUATION IS NOT JUST A ONE-YEAR PROBLEM.
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(“…TALKING TO FORESTERS AND LOGGERS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR 20-30 YEARS, WHAT THEY WILL TELL IS THAT LAST YEAR WAS THE WORST YEAR THAT THEY CAN REMEMBER AND THIS YEAR IS JUST AS BAD – IF NOT WORSE – THAN LAST YEAR. â€)
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE CRISIS HAS NOW BEGUN TO RIPPLE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH COUNTRY ECONOMY.
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(“…IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK AT, IT’S HAD AN IMPACTâ€)
THAT’S PETER RIVIERE – DIRECTOR OF THE COOS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPEMENT CORPORATION.
HE SAYS THE NORTH COUNTRY ECONOMY IS SO DEPENDENT ON WINTER WEATHER THAT IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG FOR EVERY SECTOR TO FEEL AN ECONOMIC CHILL.
THAT INCLUDES UN ANTICIPATED SIDE-EFFECTS THAT CAN FRUSTRATE ECONOMIC PLANNING.
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(“…PUBLIC EXPENDIATURES…SCHOOLS BOUGHT INTO FUEL THINKING THAT IT WAS GONNA BE HIGHER AND NOW IT’S LOWER. PLOW OPERATORS, PEOPLE SELLING SNOW MACHINES, SELLING SNOW-BLOWERS, SELLING SHOVELS, SELLING SNOW-MELT, SELLING CAR-WASH SERVICES. ALL THAT STUFF IS OFF. STUFF YOU DON’T EVEN THINK OF BEING PART OF THE ECONOMY IS BEING AFFECTED.â€)
OF COURSE, THE BIG QUESTION – SHORT OF BUILDING A WEATHER MACHINE - IS HOW TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.
FOR BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE SNOWMOBILE DEALER SPENCER HUDSON IT MEANS A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH.
FIRST – RE-FOCUSING ON SELLING OTHER PRODUCTS – SUCH AS ALL-TERRAIN VEHCILES AND RECREATIONAL VEHICLES - TO MAKE UP SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE.
BUT ITS ALSO MEANS SPENDING LESS ON OVER-HEAD.
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(“…I HAVE NOT LAID ANYBODY OFF YET- WE HAVE TWELVE FULL-TIME AT ALL-AROUND POWER AND A FEW PART-TIME. OBVIOUSLY NO OVERTIME, CUT HOURS, THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY ALL HAVE FAMILIES AND WE’RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM GOING TOO BUT IT’S BEEN TOUGH, IT’S BEEN VERY TOUGH.â€)
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS TAKING THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY.
HE'S PLANNED A MEETING FOR FRIDAY WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS AND PLANNERS TO DETERMINE WHAT IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE TO EASE THE NORTH COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC PAIN.
FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I’M TODD WELLINGTON
