Campfire Grille Michelle and Joel Hapgood will open their new restaurant at the Pleasant Mountain Inn this Monday Page 2A
Pushed to the limit
Inside News
Lake Region girls find themselves in a playoff dogfight. but pull away to beat Oak Hill
Calendar. . . . . . . . . . .9A
Page 1B
Classifieds . . . . . . . 10B Country Living . . .7A-9A Directory . . . . . . . . . 12B Obituaries . . . . . . .7B-8B Opinions . . .6B, 11B-13B Police/Court . . . . . . . .6A Sports . . . . . . . . . .1B-5B Student News . . . .2B-4B Towns . . . . . . . . . . . .10A Weather . . . . . . . . . .11B
www.bridgton.com Vol. 142, No. 8
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. 28 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
February 24, 2011
(USPS 065-020)
SIXTY CENTS
Historic vote looms this Tuesday By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Next Tuesday, the people of Bridgton will chart their economic future for years to come, as they vote on a historic citizens’ initiative seeking to ban fast food restaurants and big box stores in town. The March 1 secret ballot referendum caps nine months of controversy that began when McDonald’s Corp. announced plans last June to build across from Hannaford Supermarket on Portland Road. Although McDonald’s won local approval on Jan. 4 for the project, and is expected to soon be granted state stormwater system and wetlands permits as well, a yes vote on next Tuesday’s fast food ban will stop the project in its tracks, since the question contains a “reachback” clause making the ban retroactive to Dec. 1, 2010, when the project was still pending. Passions running high Passions have run high on both sides since nearly the beginning, and have really heated up in these final days, following a two-hour Feb. 8 public hearing that drew a crowd of nearly 150 people. Political signs urging “yes” or “no” votes on fast food restaurants and big boxes are popping up on the backs of pickup trucks and in front of Main Street businesses. Around 35 people, including Selectman Paul Hoyt, attended Friday’s showing sponsored by referendum supporters KeepBridgtonLocal.
com of Our Town, a documentary showing how the people of Damariscotta, population 4,050, rose up to stop a 170,000-square-foot Wal-Mart project from proceeding in their town. The group did a targeted mailing on Tuesday urging “yes” votes on March 1, have created posters for their cause and will also be doing a phone calling campaign. The mailing was a post card featuring a photo of the Bob Dunning Memorial Bridge, which the group’s leader, Scott Finlayson, calls “a symbol of collaboration and community” that shows what people can accomplish when they work creatively together on a cause they believe in. McDonald’s is a “bellweather” company for bringing in other fast food restaurants like Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken to Bridgton, they say. Bridgton is vulnerable to multi-national companies like Wal-Mart, which are building smaller stores to grab even more of the market share from independent business owners in America. “Remember, this is your opportunity to make a difference. It’s in the hands of the citizens, not of developers or multi-national corporations,” Finlayson said. “I hope we win, I really do. It’s going to create a new Bridgton, one way or the other.” An opposition group calling itself Citizens For Responsible Growth has sprung up to counter the efforts of
HOW WILL THE FACE OF PORTLAND STREET LOOK? — Voters will set the tone as to how development along Route 302 in Bridgton will take shape in the coming years when they decide whether to ban big box stores and formula fast food restaurants. (Rivet Photo) KeepBridgtonLocal.com — and they too have been busy. Citizens For Responsible Growth, with its own Facebook page, has collected names of 71 Bridgton businesses that do not support the referendum questions, believing them to be too restrictive. The bans will have
a chilling effect on attracting new investments to a town that badly needs new jobs, and will prevent some existing local businesses from being able to expand. The group on Tuesday asked the Planning Board to recommend to selectmen that a com-
mittee be immediately formed to begin drafting a comprehensive land use regulation ordinance that residents can vote on by this November. Such a committee would work alongside the appointed Comprehensive Plan Committee and be comprised of both the pro-ban
and anti-ban groups, members of the planning board and board of selectmen, Lakes Environmental Association, the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, Bridgton Hospital and the local public. HISTORIC, Page 5A
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer The Bridgton Economic Development Committee voted Tuesday to ask selectmen if it can change its name to the Bridgton Community Development Committee, and accepted the resignation of chairman Lee Eastman, who is now serving as chairman of the newly-formed Bridgton Economic Development Corporation.
“This is a really exciting time for this committee,” said Alan Manoian, director of the town’s office of Community and Economic Development. “We are ready for this committee to transition” to its role as an appointed board serving to support the many projects being undertaken by the BECD office, including development of an updated Comprehensive Plan, working on a form-based code for the downtown district and
possibly also a new effort to begin work immediately on creating a comprehensive land use ordinance in time for voters to decide on Nov. 8. “You will be the ‘connective tissue’ on community development issues,” he told members. “We need an entity that the citizens can plug into” as the BECD office oversees the planning efforts of various committees over the next nine months. “Economic development is
pretty well covered by my office and the work of the corporation,” Manoian said. Members also embraced the name change, as recommended by Manoian and Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz, as a way to avoid confusion among residents about what roles each of the three entities will play as economic development plans move forward in town. The economic development NAME, Page 14A
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer The Bridgton Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Tuesday night to let townspeople decide the matter of whether to maintain Bridgton Dispatch and improve upon what is already in place, or opt for the services of the Cumberland County Regional Communications Center. However, they said they will wait until the town’s new police
chief comes on board March 8 before making a decision whether or not to “take a stand” on the dispatch issue. Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said negotiations with the new police chief are wrapping up and he will first meet selectmen and police department employees the afternoon of March 8 and then will be formally introduced to the public, when the selectmen meet that same evening.
Chief of Police David Lyons retired in late November, and the search for a new police chief was begun shortly thereafter. Dispatch decision goes to voters Last year, a report by Public Safety Strategies Group of Massachusetts concluded the town could save money by contracting with the CCRCC. A motion by Selectman Earl Cash, on Feb. 22, to table the
dispatch issue until the new police chief takes his post failed, as no one seconded it. A subsequent motion made to put the question before voters via referendum at the annual town meeting in June was seconded by Cash and passed unanimously. Initially, Cash said, “I think we should wait until the new (police) chief comes on board.” Cash said he didn’t want the as
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer FRYEBURG — The Fryeburg Board of Selectmen unanimously endorsed a plan to restructure the Fryeburg Public Works Department, at their meeting last week. A few months ago, the selectmen supported eliminating the manager’s job at the Fryeburg Transfer Station and appointing Gary Whitten to be Public Works Director in charge of both the Highway Department and the transfer station and recycling facility. Now, the board members have agreed to back Town
Manager Sharon Jackson’s plan to restructure the highway department and transfer station so as to have only fulltime employees who are crosstrained in all job descriptions in both departments. She said her budget proposal for 2012 would include the restructuring plan for the Public Works Department. “To me, it’s a no-brainer, because there is flexibility having all the full-timers qualified,” Selectman Ed Wilkey stated. “That’s a benefit for the town.” “I feel it’s appropriate, and the sooner the better,” said
Selectmen Chairman Tom Klinepeter. Jackson said that, under the restructuring of the Public Works Department, “We would have six full-time staff to work at all Public Works locations trained to perform all work required with their
job descriptions designating both primary and secondary responsibilities. This change would allow us to be more efficient by having a trained and qualified staff to work within the boundaries of the Public Works Department.” WORKS, Page 14A
Committee opts for new name Time to fight funding formula
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer School Administrative District 61 gets the rawest deal of all it seems, when it comes to how state subsidies for school systems are meted out. Bridgton Director Laura Ordway suggested Tuesday night that the school district and the Town of Bridgton join together to form an independent committee, and seek out other area towns as well, to join in the fight to change the way state subsidies are distributed throughout Maine. Superintendent of Schools Patrick Phillips recommended enlisting the aid of regional legislators, as well, in the effort to make school funding more equitable across the board. The response from the Bridgton Board of Selectmen and Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz was enthusiastic, and everyone agreed it is a matter of paramount importance. SAD 61 is comprised of the towns of Bridgton, Casco, Naples and Sebago. Currently, Bridgton’s state valuation stands at over $1 billion ($1,060,000,000); Casco’s at $644,700,000; Naples’ at $790,450,000; and Sebago’s at $424,700,000, with Sebago showing the only decrease in valuation. “SAD 61 is being hardest hit by the EPS (Essential Programs and Services) funding system,” said Ordway. “I don’t think we, as towns, can stand for that.” “I think the key is the things that are most detrimental for SAD 61 don’t pull us up,” Ordway said. She said it is her opinion that, “We’re at a point now, where our children are paying for this.” The full school board was expected to vote Wednesday night (Feb. 23) on the proposed SAD 61 budget for 2011-2012. It stood at $26,121,005, as of Tuesday, Phillips said, for an increase of $904,519, or 3.59%. That would translate to assessment increases as follows: Bridgton, $337,160, or 4.34%; Casco, $729,217, or 13.65%; Naples, $462,419, or 7.10%; and Sebago, $157,767, or 5.07%. Historically, SAD 61 has seen a six-year average yearly loss of revenue from the state of $973,083, or a six-year total loss of revenue of $5,838,498. The historical five-year average increase in SAD 61’s assessment to its member towns is as follows: Bridgton, $285,949; Casco, $291,005; Naples, $281,820; and Sebago, $134,794. Ordway pointed out that the current EPS funding formula used by the Maine Department of Education is more beneficial to urban areas with larger population numbers than it is to rural areas. “Cape Elizabeth is receiving $2.3 million, and we’re going to get less than $900,000,” said Ordway. “It’s no secret here — our (funding) equation is an undue hardship to our area. The EPS funding formula is more beneficial to urban areas. As our population declines, our ruralness does not lift us up. Over 60% FUNDING FORMULA, Page 12A
Voters to decide dispatch’s fate
DISPATCH, Page 14A
Fryeburg restructures Public Works
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