18 Grooming There were 110 grooming contracts during the 2017-2018 snowmobile season. There were 98 contracts with VAST clubs and 12 contracts with grooming contractors. The total grooming budget for the 2017-2018 season was $1,329,217. The VAST clubs and contractors received their grooming start-up funds during the month of November as usual. The start-up payments were equal to 12.5 percent of the clubs/contractors grooming contract cap, which is calculated by multiplying the club/contractors contract mileage by the contract rate by the contract weeks and multiplying this number by two grooms per week. The total figure for start-up payments for the 2017-2018 season was $255,466. The first-round grooming payment totaled $198,878 and covered grooming between December 14th and January 21st. The total for second round grooming payments was $330,437. This payment covered grooming activity for weeks 6-10 (Jan. 22 through Feb. 25). The third and final grooming payments were mailed out to clubs/contractors that had submitted all 16 of their grooming log sheets along with their financial analysis in May. One club did not submit its grooming log sheets or financial analysis by the deadline and, as a result, will not receive its grooming payment this season. The total amount paid for the 3rd round of grooming payments was $572,656 (February 26th through the end of the grooming season 4/8/18). A total of $1,357,437 was paid out in grooming for the winter, with 26 clubs and contractors receiving a grooming subsidy. The subsidy amount paid was $30,186.46. The fleet of grooming equipment logged 117,005 miles during the winter of 2017-2018. This compares to 96,464 miles during the winter of 2016-2017 and 9,291 miles during the winter of 2015-2016. Equipment Grants For FY18, 23 Equipment Grant in Aid Applications were submitted. All grants were funded and were broken down as follows; 8 New/Used Power Units, 1 Drag, 13 Capital Repairs. A total of $361,882 was spent out of the budget. This is approximately 28 percent of the total cost to purchase/repair the equipment ($1,276,656). 100 percent of the funding for equipment came out of the SSTP budget. SSTP