Industry News
Franklin County is seeking the return of approximately $150,000 in taxpayer money that they allege was improperly billed by Sugarloaf, Maine’s largest ski resort, for a long-abandoned infrastructure project. According to reporting from the Bangor Daily News, the financial disagreement is currently straining the relationship between county government and one of the region’s primary employers.
The conflict stems from an agreement made in 2020, in which Franklin County committed to subsidizing a plan by Sugarloaf to dam the south branch of the Carrabassett River. The reservoir was intended to serve as a vital water source for snowmaking, an increasingly critical necessity for Northeast resorts contending with more erratic weather patterns driven by climate change. The project site was located in a wooded basin near Caribou Pond, roughly six miles south of the resort.
However, in 2023, Franklin County Administrator Amy Bernard stated that Sugarloaf management notified the county that the project, which required complex construction in a remote area intersecting with the Appalachian Trail, would no longer proceed as planned. Despite this cancellation, the resort continued to submit charges to the county. A subsequent review by Bernard revealed that the billing included expenses dating back to 2018 — two years prior to the formal subsidy agreement. In late 2024, the county issued an invoice for roughly $222,000, aimed at recovering both the pre-agreement costs and expenses that Franklin County commissioners claim were unrelated to the dam project. Sugarloaf has repaid approximately $69,000 of that total, but the remaining balance sits at roughly $153,000.
“I’ve asked them too many times for repayment for me to feel comfortable saying, ‘we’re just going to sit on this,'” Bernard said during a March commissioners’ meeting, as reported by Bangor Daily News. Following Bernard’s recommendation, the county commission voted to consult with their legal counsel on the best path to recoup the outstanding funds. Commissioner Tom Saviello stated that the county should pursue repayment “aggressively,” while Commissioner Bob Carlton noted that the resort had shown some cooperation in the past but acknowledged that the county must now determine the best path forward. Spokespeople from Sugarloaf and its parent company, Boyne Resorts, have not yet provided public comment regarding the dispute.
