Squaw Mountain creditors seek funds

Five creditors of Big Squaw Mountain Corp. in Greenville have filed a petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Bangor to force the ski resort into involuntary bankruptcy.

The creditors, represented by attorney Morris D. Rubin of Bangor, claim that Big Squaw Mountain Corp. owes them a total of $26,877.

The group of creditors, which allegedly sold the resort, skis and accessories, includes Dynamic USA Inc., Raichle-Molitor USA, the Rossignol Ski Co., Sport-Accessories America Inc., and Stowe Woolens Ltd. The creditor with the largest claim, at $12,857, was Rossignol Ski.

The petition before the court claims that the creditors deserve to be paid “for merchandise furnished at the corporation’s special instance and request and at reasonable market prices.”

Jeff McIver, general manager at the ski resort, said Tuesday afternoon that he had just received a copy of the petition. He was in the process of forwarding a copy of the document to James Clair Sr., the corporation’s president in Boston.

The procedure to be followed at the Bankruptcy Court allows the Big Squaw Mountain Corp. 20 days to respond to the petition.

McIver refused to say what his company’s response to the claim made by the five creditors might be. Clair was out of his office late Tuesday.

McIver did say that the claims were for merchandise purchased during 1987 and 1988, before he became general manager and before Clair was president.

The Big Squaw Mountain Corp. was incorporated in 1986, after a group of Maine investors purchased the resort from the state.

The owners live in Piscataquis County or have business connections in the area. They include Louis Hilton, Richard Kennedy and Dr. Donald Klopp of Greenville, Richard McFalls of Seal Harbor, Greenville and Otis, and Brian Bacon of Oakland and Greenville.

The resort was purchased by the group from the state for $300,000. The ski area had been donated to the state of Maine in 1972 by Scott Paper Co. As part of the purchase agreement, the investors agreed to make $700,000 worth of improvements at the facility.

It took the state several years to find a buyer for the resort.