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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 145, No. 5
24 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
January 30, 2014
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . 10B
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
$300,000
Bond eyed for Town Hall
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Bridgton voters may be asked this June if the town should borrow up to $300,000 to fund basic structural repairs to Town Hall that will allow its continued use for recreation programs and as the town’s voting place. Selectmen, on Tuesday, directed Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz to have the town attorney finalize language for the binding referendum, based on recommendations made in a recent engineering study of the vintage turn-of-the-century building on North High Street. “Your decision was to hit the priorities only,” Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said, in explaining the proposed borrowing amount, which would be reduced by any other funding from
Community Block Grant money, other grants or budget appropriations. The week before, the board held a workshop to discuss the findings in a building evaluation report done by structural engineer Eric Dube of Casco Bay Engineering that listed over $750,000 in renovations recommended for long-term future use. The report found immediate framing issues caused by moisture intrusion, a definite need to improve energy efficiency and needed roof repairs, along with other issues. The report came two years after voters agreed in a nonbinding referendum that they were willing to spend up to $400,000 to make basic repairs to the building, ensuring that existing structural problems do not get worse. At the workshop, the board agreed in a straw poll
to continue using the building for adult basketball, since Dube had said that the use was not adversely impacting the structural integrity of the floor or underlying framing system, and that having over 200 people in the building at one time for Town Elections actually has more of an impact. But when it came to the subject of three other highimpact recreation programs held there — baseball, softball and lacrosse — a majority of the board felt that perhaps it was time to stop holding those programs in Town Hall, because of the damage being done to walls and the ceiling by errant balls. The lone holdout was Selectman Paul Hoyt, who convinced the others to hold off on voting to eliminate holding those programs inside Town Hall, at least BOND, Page 12A
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Bridgton Selectmen agreed Tuesday it’s time to start using some of the nearly a quarter of a million dollars in tax revenue that’s been generated since in the five years since voters agreed to create a Tax Increment Financing District. The board unanimously agreed to spend $9,000 from the TIF fund, which currently stands at around $265,000, to pay a graphic designer to create a “wayfinder” sign package of a common design that will brand Bridgton as a commercial business destination. The signs would be placed on the roadways in the TIF district to direct people to town services and other points of interest. “It is important to have a cohesive sign package that is easily recognizable and emits the brand of Bridgton we are trying to communicate,” said
Anne Krieg, director of planning, economic and community development. The TIF district runs along Portland Road from just before the Bridgton Twin Drive-in Theater to the corner of Main and Nulty Streets in downtown. The Community Development Committee has wanted to move forward with the signage plan for the last year, and in December began investigating the terms of the 25-year TIF district in more detail. The committee learned that selectmen may use up to $50,000 from the district without a town meeting. When the TIF was approved by the state in 2008, the district’s original assessed value was just under $42.5 million. The terms allowed the town to capture 100% of the increased assessed value from real and personal property improvements from the construction of the Hannaford
supermarket and Hancock Lumber store, then estimated at just over $1 million. Although the captured revenues may be used for larger infrastructure projects, such as sewer extensions, sidewalks and land acquisition, they also may be used for such improvements as signage, landscaping, lighting, public restrooms and marketing, Krieg noted in a memo to the board. The CDC is also recommending that selectmen consider using TIF funds to replace and add sidewalks on Portland Road. In the narrative supporting the creation of the TIF District, it states, “The town believes, that by providing enhanced public facilities closer to the central village, it will be able to encourage new development to locate closer to the village, which will help maintain the character of the community.” SIGNAGE, Page 12A
Bridgton taps TIF fund for signage plan
MAKING THE BEST OF A COLD DAY — A lack of snow and frigid temperatures cut short the annual Mushers’ Bowl held at Five Field Farm in South Bridgton over the weekend. Although official racing was canceled, dog sled teams still went out onto the course and gave spectators a view of their competitive and hard-driven sport. This year’s event was sponsored by several areas businesses and individuals. (Rivet Photos)
Poker Rally supports snowmobile trail riding By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Compared to any given weekend this winter, on Saturday there might have been the same number of riders out on the local snowmobile trails that interlace between Casco and Naples. The difference was the people on their sleds were raising money for the trails beneath their tracks. Two snowmobile clubs — the Muddy River SnoSeekers in Naples and the
Crooked River Snowmobile Club in Casco — joined forces and held a poker rally to raise money for trail maintenance. Participants all agreed the trails were surprisingly good despite the two days of rain a few weeks ago. However, everyone that rode in the rally said several more inches of snow would make good trails great, and most sledding enthusiasts were looking forward to the next snowstorm. Also, club members were
on the same page when it came to supporting the cost of trail maintenance through fundraising, and most cannot wait until the next poker rally slated for Saturday, Feb. 22. “Any snow would make everybody happy,” said Scott Richard, a member of the Sno-Seekers based in Naples. “The riding wasn’t too awfully bad,” he said, adding that about 20 people showed up for last weekend’s poker rally.
Suspect ‘not active’ CFD member CASCO — Joe Payton of Casco, who was charged last week with possessing child pornography, is not an active member of the Casco Fire-Rescue Department, Fire Chief Jason Moen reported in a press release. “Media reports are describing Payton as a member of the Casco Fire-Rescue Department. This description is not entirely accurate,” Chief Moen said. Payton is a former member of the department, serving from 2006-2011, Moen said. Payton had recently begun the hiring process to return to the department, and was not an active member. “Due to Payton’s arrest, his hiring process has been terminated and he is no longer affiliated with the department,” Moen
said. Last Wednesday, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit arrested Payton, the town of Windham’s animal control officer, and charged him with possessing child pornography. Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said Payton, 22, was arrested without incident at his camper home in Casco and taken to the Cumberland County Jail. He is charged with possession of sexually explicit material. Payton lives in the camper with his girlfriend behind his mother’s house on the Leach Hill Road. Detectives found multiple images and videos of child porn on his computer, which was seized and will be analyzed, McCausland said.
“There was enough snow to ride. We really need another good storm,” Richard said. Although a little more specific with his details of the perfect storm needed for the snowmobile trail system, Casco resident Gary Drew agreed. “It’s in really good shape. If we could get another five inches of snow, and then, another five inches — that would be nice,” he said. January’s poker rally “went alright. There weren’t that many people who came through. I think, because we had all that rain that people don’t realize that the riding is still good,” Drew said. “We just need a little more snow to make it ideal,” he said. “The temps were good, it had warmed up some,” he said, adding that allowed people to hang out and enjoy the barbecued meal and hot drinks sold by the Casco club. Before Saturday’s ride, there had been a “couple inches of snow, which filled in the icy holes a bit,” Drew said. “We sent the groomers out and loosened up (the ice
on) the trail,” he said. Where the trails were too icy or too bare of snowcover, the snowmobile trail was rerouted slightly to make for safer riding, he said. “The trails aren’t in that bad of shape,” Drew said. However, man and machine hours went into keeping those trails up to par, especially after ice storms in both December and January. “We had the first ice storm in December. We were out quite a bit, clearing limbs and trees to make trails passable,” Drew said. Then, the same thing happened in January — right after the New Year, he said. Ray Grant, another member of the Casco club, described the ice storm’s effect on the trails. “Right around New Year’s, they were really
good. Then, we got all that rain and it ate up the snow,” he said. “We spent hours recutting the bushes back. The hemlock and saplings were lying across the trail, and it was completely blocked,” Grant said. The Casco club maintains about 40 miles of trails. According to Drew, “We have these Poker Runs to raise money for the snowmobile clubs.” “It’s just to support the snowmobile clubs. All of the trail work is voluntary. But, the groomers cost money to repair and to run; and it doesn’t take long to wear them out,” he said. The fundraising efforts — along with club dues — “helps to keep them (the trails) groomed and cleaned and passable for everyone,” RALLY, Page 12A
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