Mainebiz

V O L . X X V N O. X X I I S E P T E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 9 6 Low unemployment rate extends streak Maine's unemployment rate dipped to 2.9% in August, the first time it's been under 3% since at least January 2016. August was also the 44th consecutive month in which the preliminary season- ally adjusted rate has stayed below 4%, according to the Maine Department of Labor. e previous record had been from September 1999 to July 2001. e August rate is down from 3.5% one year ago, and slightly less than the rate of 3% Maine recorded in July. Two airports receive a total of $3.1 million Brunswick Executive Airport and Presque Isle International Airport were awarded a total of $3.1 million in federal funds to make improvements and enhance services. e funding is part of the latest round of grants from the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program. e pro- gram, established in 1982, is budgeted to provide $3.8 billion in the 2020 fiscal year for infrastructure improvements at U.S. airports. In Brunswick, a grant of $422,718 will fund improvements to the airport's parking lot and another $1,624,770 will go toward rehabilitation of a runway apron. e Presque Isle airport will receive $1,074,816 to purchase two snow sweepers, which will help keep the main runway clear and the airport serviceable during inclement winter weather. Poliquin joins Trump administration Former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine, said he has accepted an offer from President Donald Trump to serve B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state S T A T E W I D E Honesty, integrity and mutual respect are the values that guide us. Stephen Dumont, VP CONTACT (207) 490-5900 www.tpdconstruction.com CO N S T RU C T I O N M A N A G EM EN T s D E S I G N / B U I L D s G EN ER A L CO N T R A C T I N G Future of Maine Huts & Trails cloudy with budget shortfall B y M a i n e b i z S t a f f K i n g f i e l d — Maine Huts & Trails, a nonprofit with four ecolodges and an extensive trail network in western Maine, said it faces a $500,000 budget shortfall that threatens its ability to open this winter. In a press release Sept. 23, the 11-year-old organization appealed to the public "to help build a brighter future," setting a deadline of Nov. 1. If it cannot raise the money needed, its options include staffing the lodges with volunteers and requiring a more "self-service" approach by visitors. "Despite the tireless efforts of many hard-working people, our current model is not producing adequate revenues to fund the organization over the long term," Bob Peixotto, chairman of the organization's board of directors, said in a press release. The group said it hopes to keep working on a new operat- ing model to achieve sustainability and maintain its vision of an economically robust region that's known for outdoor recreation and an ecologically significant landscape. Maine Huts & Trails said its winter closure would impact not only its four lodges, but also access to 50 miles of cross-country skiing and fat biking trails — attractions used by Maine residents, out-of-state visitors and school groups. In just over a decade, Maine Huts has attracted 76,000 overnight visitors from 48 states and 18 countries. It esti- mated the economic impact estimated at $52 million, most of it concentrated in Somerset and Franklin counties. It has an annual payroll of nearly $1 million and supports 50 full- and part-time jobs. The nonprofit says it spends $400,000 a year with local businesses for food, services and supplies. On the downside, Maine Huts & Trails said it has not generated enough revenue from lodging or annual giving to cover its costs, which include refurbishment and replace- ment of key assets. To address the financial shortfall, the organization needs to raise a minimum of $500,000 to open for the winter, and more than $1 million to pursue its strategic plan to restruc- ture its financial model for long-term sustainability. "We are hopeful we will secure the resources for winter and that our restructuring plan will ensure Maine Huts & Trails experiences will be here for generations of adventur- ers to enjoy," Peixotto said. Disrupting operations "would mark lost opportunities for the people we employ and serve, the community and the region, as well as a loss of momentum that will be difficult to recapture." B R I E F Maine Huts & Trails' Flagstaff Hut, pictured here, is one of four ecolodges used as a base for Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and fat-biking. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F M A I N E H U T S & T R A I L S We are hopeful we will secure the resources for winter. — Bob Piexotto Maine Huts & Trails

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