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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 150, No. 2
16 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
January 9, 2020
www.bridgton.com
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Area News Briefs
Sex shops banned
GRAND OPENING of Fryeburg Academy’s Thomas D. Shaffner Hall. (Photos by Dawn Gale ’81)
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — No one was willing to air their dirty laundry. No one spoke for or against a moratorium banning adultentertainment businesses from setting up shop in Naples. However, as advised by the town attorney, the chairman of the Naples Board of Selectmen took up some air time. Chairman Jim Grattelo read a rather long statement, which cited court cases and findings of the U.S. Attorney General regarding adult-entertainment businesses. On Monday, the public hearing for the Adult Entertainment Business Moratorium was held in the Naples Gymnasium. Public hearings were held for two moratoriums along with a half-dozen proposed amendments to ordinances. Basically, according to Grattelo’s prepared statement, crimes particularly sexual crimes increase in the vicinity of adult-entertainment businesses. Secondly, municipalities have a difficult time holding the owners of such businesses responsible for the uptick in these crimes, including the presence of prostitution and the use of drugs. He summed up the reasoning behind the town passing a moratorium on adult-entertainment businesses. “The general welfare, health and safety will be protected by the town by the enactment of the adult entertainment moratorium to be part of the Land Use Ordinance,” Grattelo said. Following that statement, the selectmen voted, 4-0, to pass the ban. Selectman Kevin Rogers was not present at home of the school’s dining the meeting. room and student union. The space will be renovated to add three classrooms, the Theodore P. Blaich PostBy Dawn De Busk Secondary Counseling Staff Writer Center, and a revamped and CASCO — One resident said she came to the Casco enhanced student union. Community Center to vote in support of an ambulance Altogether, the new and ren- purchase. She knew it was an expensive vehicle but the ovated facilities will com- department needed it. An ambulance is something a town prise Thomas D. Shaffner cannot do without, she said. Hall and encompass 21,600 About 15 residents plus the five selectmen showed up square feet. for the Casco Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, during At the Academy’s which time $305,000 was allocated for a new ambulance. In a past presentation, Chief Brian Cole said he thought DINING HALL, Page 3A he could get the ambulance for much less than the amount requested. On Tuesday night, the only other Warrant Article was also approved, earmarking up to $575,000 for the Memorial Field Park recreational complex. have enforcement it was a Rather than taking out a bond, the town will use money total waste of time.” from the Unassigned Fund Balance during the 2020 fiscal “We cannot go through year and the 2021 fiscal year. another summer like last The remaining work — to be finished from May through summer,” he said, referring October of this year — includes drainage, multi-purpose to noise complaints which field, irrigation, gravel walking paths, field lighting and evolved into lawsuits. electrical work, according to the documents handed out to During the public hearthe public. ing on Monday night, In 2021, the work list will include a parking lot with Naples resident Sam striping and lighting, curbs, rails, signage, fencing and Merriam asked if business landscaping. owners would be required On Tuesday, resident Joanne Vail asked how much to purchase a decibel meter. money is currently in the Unassigned Fund. Merriam lives in a neighCasco Town Manager Courtney O’Donnell answered borhood which is situated the question. close enough to Gary’s Olde First she said it was hard to get an exact amount because Towne Tavern that residents she did not have the most recent audit. hear noise from both the The rough estimate is: $2,653,570, she said. DECIBEL, Page 3A Vail asked what the savings would be compared to taking out a bond. She was told that the savings would be around $400,000. The voters agreed to use money from the Unassigned Fund Balance top pay for improvements to the Memorial Field Park. This vote was followed by a motion to adjourn. Therefore, including the nomination of moderator Rick Sykes, the special town meeting was wrapped up about 10 minutes after it began.
FA opens new dining hall
FRYEBURG — Fryeburg Academy is pleased to announce the grand opening of the newest campus addition — Thomas D. Shaffner Hall— named after the late Thomas D. Shaffner, a longtime trustee, past parent and benefactor. The capital project was approved by the Board of Trustees in the fall of 2017. Students in the Center, a $1.5 million capital campaign, was launched the
following spring. To spearhead the project, the Academy retained Connor Architecture, an awardwinning architecture and design firm that specializes in school and university projects, and T. Buck Construction, then owned by FA alumnus Terry Buck ’74. The undertaking consists of two distinct phases: Phase I was construction of the new, 10,000 square-
foot facility (completed December 2019), which includes the relocated Elroy O. and Marion LaCasce Dining Room with a seating capacity expanded from 180 to 342. Phase II of the project begins in January 2020 and is slated to be complete by the fall. It will include restoration of Shaffner Hall’s existing wing, which was previously called the LaCasce Building and was the former
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — It was fairly quiet when it came to the public comment on the half-dozen ordinance amendments that are headed to a special town meeting in February. However, the addition of a decibel level limit in the proposed Entertainment Ordinance got people talking. Decibels limits and decibel meters have been used in other towns over the decades. But, this is the first time it has been
introduced to an ordinance in the Town of Naples. The noise limit is 70 decibels as measured 200 feet from the establishment. The conversation made it clear that the decibel meters — the equipment that measures decibels — must be approved by the town’s Code Enforcement Department and cannot be an app downloaded to a person’s phone. Also, the town will invest in such equipment. What is less clear is who will be enforcing the law, should it pass at special
town meeting. Nonetheless, the chairman of the Naples Board of Selectman pledged to follow through with the enforcement piece of the proposed Entertainment Ordinance. “I tell you right now: The only way this works is if we have enforcement. We are committed to enforcing this. If we have to hire someone, dedicate someone to this job, we are going to get our arms around this,” Chairman Jim Grattelo said. “We have spent money, time, effort, resources. And if we don’t
Handful back purchase
Decibel limit to be enforced
2020:
Challenges & resolutions
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer A new year presents new challenges and opportunities to change. The News polled area leaders as to the biggest challenges they will face in 2020, and what their “resolution” will be. Biggest issue or challenge? Peter Wright, president of Bridgton Hospital — “Workforce will continue to be our top challenge at Bridgton Hospital. Finding and retaining the top talent in health is becoming increasingly more difficult and complicated. We continue to invest in our people by maintaining competitive wages and benefits. That said, our true focus is now on culture and making Bridgton Hospital the absolute best place to work.” Rick Stillman, Bridgton Chief of Police — “For the Bridgton Police Department, being able to provide quality police services and a robust 2020, Page 2A
Expanded biz uses?
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The rules are very strict near bodies of water, and rightfully so. However, it can be frustrating for a business owner to be limited in what he or she can offer and comply with the rules. For businesses on the Naples Causeway, something as simple as adding a retail use that does not increase water-septic use can be forbidden because it is already at its limit. In the Town of Naples, steps are being taken to allowACQUIRED — Oberg Insurance of Bridgton has acquired ACE Insurance Agency of ing businesses on the Causeway to increase or changes Denmark. The sale was finalized last week. Pictured are (left to right) Peter Oberg, uses with the blessing of the Department of Environmental Heidi Blake and James Oberg. Protection (DEP). This step will face the approval of voters at a special town meeting to be scheduled sometime in February. It’s a matter of redrawing the map. The proposed change, which would appear in the Land Use Ordinance After 65 years of doing witnessed first-hand the to fight this fire. Later as is: to include some land in the Village District to create a BIZ USES, Page 3A business in Denmark, ACE devastation that fire could the ashes settled over the Insurance Agency has sold have on a community. In community, he realized that its family-owned agency to 1947 — “The Year Maine many people did not have Oberg Insurance Agency of Burned” — a huge for- fire insurance and were left Bridgton. est fire raged down from without the financial means Established 1870 The sale was finalized on Fryeburg to Hiram, destroy- to rebuild. P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Thursday, Jan. 2. ing all of the public buildA few years later, Roland Bridgton, ME 04009 The ACE agency was ings and many of the homes and his wife Miriam estab207-647-2851 established as Blake in Brownfield. Roland, as lished Blake Insurance Fax: 207-647-5001 Insurance Agency in 1954 a young man and native Agency on the premise of bnews@roadrunner.com by Roland Blake, who had of Brownfield, had helped OBERG, Page 3A
Oberg acquires ACE
The Bridgton News