9443-R3_MSA_September2026_Newsletter

Happy Retirement, Joe Higgins -From Everyone at MSA!

Money Guy” because he administered club and municipal grants, capital equipment grants, disaster relief fund ing, and any other financial assistance he could secure for Maine’s snowmo bile clubs. If a club had questions about a project, Joe was the person they contacted. Each year, Joe gave grant presenta tions at MSA shows, club gatherings, and regional meetings across the state. He was also responsible for ordering the signs clubs use to mark their trails. In addition, Joe chaired the Advisory Committee, which is responsible for reviewing the capital equipment grant applications submitted by clubs each year. Along with handling grant applications and making sure clubs understood the application process, Joe received and reviewed trail inspection reports. If an issue was identified, he often worked directly with the club to resolve it. The MSA Trails Committee worked closely with Joe to help ensure that Maine’s snowmobile trails were safe for every one to enjoy.

In recent years, Joe added trail coordi nators to his staff, who also reported to him. Despite wearing so many hats in his official role, Joe still found a little time to get out and ride the trails. Now that he is retired, he plans to spend much more time riding for pleasure. MSA honored Joe at its 2017 annual meeting by presenting him with the MSA President’s Award. His dedication to Maine’s snowmobile clubs—and his passion for helping every club accom plish as much as possible with the fund ing available—will be greatly missed. From everyone at MSA: Happy retirement, Joe! You’ve earned it!

After 25 years with the Maine Depart ment of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) in the Off-Road Recre ational Vehicle Office, Joe Higgins has officially retired. Joe began his career there when Scott Ramsey was the supervisor and took over that role when Scott retired in 2016. Every snowmobile club in the state has spoken with Joe at some point during those 25 years—probably more than once! Joe was affectionately nicknamed “The

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