Change in guard ‘IC’ replaces Frosty as the Moose Pond ICE OUT monitor. Make your guess as to when the ice leaves Page 2A
Tourney time
Inside News
Lake Region girls enter the basketball tournament as the top seed; FA boys just miss the cut
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 7A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 6B Country Living . . 9A-10A
Page 9B
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www.bridgton.com Vol. 143, No. 7
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. 24 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
February 16, 2012
(USPS 065-020)
SIXTY CENTS
Railroaded or fast-tracked?
Town to appeal DEP conditional order
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer The Town of Bridgton will appeal the conditional order set by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection last month that, in effect, rescinded the minimum requirements approved by voters here Dec. 13 for square foot allowance per lot for bedrooms in the General Development II District in the Shoreland Zone. The Bridgton Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Feb. 14 to file an appeal with the DEP,
approving the motion made by Selectman Paul Hoyt. Issued last month, the DEP’s conditional order imposed a larger, more stringent square foot amount than that approved by voters, effectively amending the language from “per bedroom” to “per residential dwelling unit.” It also set minimum lot sizes at 5,000 square feet. However, DEP officials then lowered that number to 4,000 square feet after Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz told the DEP that Avesta’s plans could not
proceed with anything less than 4,100 square feet. Following more than an hour of at times somewhat heated debate by members of the public and town committees, the selectmen agreed to appeal the matter to the DEP. The caveat is that the formal appeal is due to the DEP’s Board of Commissioners by the end of the business day on Feb. 27. Local developer Mark Lopez, who also sits on the Bridgton Economic Development Corporation, formally requested
HOPING FOR A LITTLE ACTION — The fate of the annual Musher’s Bowl will rest with Mother Nature.
Dog races a go, if weather cooperates
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer The sled dog races at Five Fields Farm in South Bridgton this weekend are a “Go,” unless the Lake Region receives “a substantial amount of rain on Friday,” organizers said Tuesday. The second part of the Musher’s Bowl Winter Carnival, sponsored by the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, had to be postponed from a previous date in January, due to weather conditions. Right now, forecasters say inland areas are more likely to get snow than rain, when a quick moving winter storm passes through here late tonight into Friday morning. Attendees will be able to view the sled dog races from several vistas along the racecourse and will be transported there by sleds. Five Fields Farm owner Tom Gyger said a Downeast Sled Dog Club official rode the complete racecourse on Monday and deemed it in great shape for the races on Feb. 18 and 19. “The only thing that will put the kibosh on the races is if
DOG SLED, Page A
VALENTINE’S DAY — cards and pictures were colored and signed by kids who attended the Bridgton Public Library’s Valentine’s Party during Mother Goose Time Feb. 10. Here, eight-yearold Hannah Reed, of Bridgton, shares what she did for her Aunt Chrissy and signed with “love, love, love, love.” “I just turned 8,” Hannah said, proudly. (Ackley Photo)
Improvements eyed for Shorey Park area
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer The Community Development Committee faces two rather large hurdles in its goal of making improvements to Shorey Park. The first is money: in a tight economy, plantings don’t quite seem all that necessary. The second is state shoreland regulations: nary a blade of grass can
be disturbed in the small and peaceful downtown park overlooking Highland Lake without first getting approval from the Department of Environmental Protection. Still, the committee is hopeful, and on Tuesday members asked selectmen to consider adding something to this year’s budget to help get the project off the
ground. According to Chairman Mike Tarantino, the committee would like to see up to $30,000 earmarked this year for the first phase of the work, and envisions the work being done over four years, with a total budget of $80,000 to $100,000. There may be opportunities for grant money to be found for some aspects of the project,
according to a proposal drawn up for the committee by Bridgton landscape designer Lucia Terry, with help from Colin Holme of the Lakes Environmental Association. The proposal, in its first phase, calls for the removal of invasive plants, such as purple loosestrife, barberry and honeysuckle that have taken hold since the park
was created. Lower-growing native plants would be installed in their place to enable better views of the water. Efforts would be made to open up the so-called “grassy glade” at the south end of the park and create more connectivity to the sidewalk on Main Street. The idea would be to make the
PARK, Page A
that the appeal to the DEP be made, Tuesday night. Lopez also berated Berkowitz and the selectmen for not releasing a Nov. 22 letter from the DEP that basically indicated the DEP would not approve the amendments scheduled to go before voters on Dec. 13. Some who spoke Tuesday night accused the selectmen, planning board, town manager and former Economic and Community Development Director Alan Manoian of “railroading” the ref-
ORDER, Page A
Hacker parcel appraised
Editor’s note: See related story about project donations on Page 2A. By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — An Appraisal Review Committee in Augusta approved an appraisal of $700,000 for the 27-acre tract on Hacker’s Hill. The Hall family, who has provided public access to the mountain on Quaker’s Ridge, had listed the land on the real estate market for two years. In 2011, Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) stepped forward with a plan-ofaction to raise funds to buy the parcel for continued public use. “It is a very positive step because the sale depended on it being appraised at the value of $700,000,” LELT Executive Director Carrie Walia said. “It’s just one of the many steps we have to take to finish this project with public funding,” Walia said. Casco resident Jeannine Oren attended the committee meeting in Augusta on Tuesday. “$700,000. It is a number I think the Halls would be happy to get. It was the number that Loon Echo wanted,” Oren said. One of the conditions of approval was defining traditional uses; and, that requirement would create a window of opportunity for residents to include worship as a traditional use, she said.
APPRAISED, Page 11A
Final straw? Memorial School question in the mail
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — A straw poll at the special town meeting in January was not the last time residents would be asked to answer a question about the Casco Memorial School’s fate. Questions continue to be asked. Will elected officials get their
answer through an upcoming questionnaire mailing? Will this method for seeking public input be the last straw? Will the results of this questionnaire be the catalyst that pushes into play how this town will proceed with the school building? Check your mailboxes, Casco residents. By late February, most resi-
dents will have received in the mail a questionnaire about the future of the Memorial School. According to Town Manager Dave Morton, those questionnaires were being re-typed by staff and would get one more look-over from the town’s elected officials. Residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on a single question: Do you support spending
between $500,000 and $750,000 to remodel or to rebuild the Casco Memorial School? Based on the higher number, the town would owe $6,700 annually for a 15-year period, Morton said. TD Bank provided the debt service schedule, he said. “This would impact the mill rate by 10 cents,” Morton said. At the Jan. 15 special town
meeting, 32 voters participated in a non-binding straw poll. A noticeable majority said “yes” to moving forward with a Memorial School solution. Then, at the Jan. 24 meeting, the Casco Board of Selectmen talked about seeking a wider sample of the population. Chairman Barbara York viewed the straw vote result as sufficient,
and favored going ahead with the voters’ wish to spend money on salvaging the school or building new on the property. The board’s majority consensus was that public input was needed from a larger audience. So, the board decided upon a questionnaire; and Morton wrote down the board’s ideas for its content.
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer Imagine being best friends with someone for nearly half a century. Well, Julie LeDoux Harmon and Sharon Russo Presby don’t have to imagine it — they have been like sisters, since they were four and five years old and living in Westbrook with their respective families. Now, 53-year-old Julie and her family live in downtown Bridgton and 52-year-old Sharon and her family live in Bolster’s Mills in Harrison — yet, they still see each other nearly every HEADING OUT FOR THEIR DAILY WALK TOGETHER — day! Julie and Sharon, who all their are Sharon Russo Presby (at left) and Julie LeDoux Harmon, lives have been mistaken for sisfriends since their early childhood days in Westbrook. (Ackley Photo) ters — walk three to four miles
around Bridgton, almost every night — weather permitting. They walk and talk constantly — about their childhood, their families and current events, with one of them often finishing the other one’s sentence. How did their 48-year-long friendship begin? “I have known Sharon since 1963, when I was five and she was four,” said Julie. “We lived in the same neighborhood — an eighth of a mile apart,” Sharon stated. Julie is next to the youngest of four children, while Sharon is the second to the oldest of five children. “I met Sharon’s sister, Cynthia — we started school the same year,” Julie explained. “I would
go to their house to play. I found I really had more in common with Sharon. We just really clicked.” “I don’t remember a time not knowing Julie — it’s so far back,” said Sharon. “When we were growing up in Westbrook, we both went to parochial school and then public school,” Julie stated. “From the time we were about seven and
eight, people thought we were twins! People couldn’t tell us apart! We’d even swap clothes! They’d think I was a Russo and she was a LeDoux!” Said Sharon, “We’d buy and wear the same bathing suits and hats.” “And coats,” added Julie. “We’d always buy the same
QUESTION, Page 12A
Walking powers 48-year friendship
FRIENDS, Page 12A
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