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Modern Aviation seeks 5-year lease extension for Bar Harbor facility; commissioners ask for objective investment checklist
Summary
Modern Aviation asked Hancock County for a five-year lease extension at the Bar Harbor facility to amortize more than $1 million in planned renovations; commissioners agreed in principle but asked county staff and the company to create a verifiable checklist and timeline before any extension is granted.
Modern Aviation representatives asked Hancock County commissioners on March 17 to extend the company’s lease at the Bar Harbor facility from Dec. 31, 2041, to 2046 to recover investments in more than $1 million in renovations.
"We're looking at in excess of a million-dollar renovation for the building," said Travis Higgins, Modern Aviation’s general manager for Portland Harbor, describing planned upgrades including LED lighting, a high-efficiency HVAC system, modernized ventilation, ADA-compliant bathrooms and controlled ramp access. Higgins said the company has already invested in landscaping and would document invoices to demonstrate capital spending.
Mark Carman, who identified himself as CEO and co‑founder of Modern Aviation, told commissioners the company typically seeks lease extensions after completing renovations and that investments "accrue to the county" because the upgraded building ultimately becomes county property. Carman said Modern uses local contractors and emphasized safety and security improvements.
Commissioners raised concerns about how Modern’s fees have changed over recent years. "They increased the what they call a facilities fee 134% ... from $162,000 a year ... to $818,000 in 2025," said one commissioner, who said he worried about Bar Harbor becoming known for higher fees compared with peer airports. Modern representatives replied that the company had raised employee wages, added maintenance services and offered discounted rates for medical flights and small general aviation traffic; they said higher operating costs and inflation also factored into price changes.
Rather than approve an up‑front extension, the board directed county staff and Modern Aviation to collaborate on an objective checklist and timeline that would define the benchmarks for any lease renewal. Commissioners said they wanted verifiable evidence — paid invoices and an agreed set of deliverables — before obligating the county to extend the lease.
No formal lease extension was approved at the March 17 meeting. Commissioners indicated they were willing to consider a five‑year extension if Modern meets the mutually agreed benchmarks and timeline to the satisfaction of county staff.
