Rally call
Headed to the Finals
Towns facing resolutions on annual meeting warrants in regards to tar sands issue
Inside News
The Lake Region girls’ basketball team gets a rematch against Presque Isle this Friday night
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Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 9A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 8B Country Living . . 8A-11A Directory . . . . . . . . . . 7B Obituaries . . . . . . . . 10B Opinions 6B-7B, 9B, 11B Police/Court . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . 1B-5B. 12B Student News . . . . . . 5A Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 9B Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 9B
www.bridgton.com Vol. 144, No. 9
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. 24 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
February 28, 2013
(USPS 065-020)
SIXTY CENTS
Downtown signs take center stage By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Selectmen focused their attention Tuesday on several projects designed to promote Bridgton as a tourist destination. The first would create a cohesive sign design, easily recognizable to visitors, directing them to town services and cultural attractions, and the second would create a historic walking trail introducing visitors to some of the downtown’s historic homes and businesses. Both projects have been talked about for years. On other downtown matters, the board approved outdoor seating for Beth’s Café when it relocates this summer to the Cool Moose building, and
agreed to allow the Bridgton Alliance Church to use Shorey Park this summer for a daylong celebration of local talent. In town-wide matters, the board approved a 10-cent per square foot increase in building permit fees to bring Bridgton in line with what surrounding towns are charging, and agreed to have Fire Chief Glen Garland appoint a person within the department to fill a new parttime Fire Inspector position. They also clarified the Feb. 12 vote banning photos and comments from the Bridgton Police Department’s Facebook page, discussed holding an annual volunteer appreciation event and tabled action on a funding request to fight erosion prob-
lems at Moose Pond. ‘Wayfinding’ signage Bridgton’s current “hodgepodge” of signs directing visitors to town services and cultural attractions needs to be replaced by a cohesive sign design, members of the Community Development Committee believe. Anne Krieg, Bridgton’s Director of Planning, Economic and Community Development, suggested the town use Community Development Block Grant funds to place “wayfinding” signs, all with a similar design, at nine strategic locations within the downtown, and possibly also construct three kiosks with downtown maps at the municipal building lot, Shorey Park
and on Depot Street. “The intent is to have a cohesive style and design” so that drivers could immediately recognize that the signs are pointing to the town’s public parking areas, library, municipal building, community center, Pondicherry Park and Main Street shopping areas, Krieg said. “Right now we have a hodge-podge” of town signs,” she said. Arrows on a single sign could point to two or as much as three different destinations, she said. Any more than a few directions become confusing and/or a hazard for drivers, she said. It’s also important not to have too many signs, she said, which could lead to “sign pollution.” Right-of-way permissions
Condom access at LRHS?
THIS WAY, PLEASE — The same style and lettering is used by the town of Matthews, N.C., for all the signage in its downtown district directing visitors to public, educational and cultural facilities. The same should be done in Bridgton, members of the Community Development Committee believe.
Naples grapples with cuts
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — It seems like it has happened before in the past half-decade: Fewer and fewer federal and state dollars are trickling down to Maine towns. Ever fiscally conservative, the Mainers who are responsible for planning town budgets have perhaps learned to rely less on state government funding. As the Naples Budget Committee begins its weekly meetings to create a sound budget for the 2013–14 fiscal year, Town Manager Derik Goodine is warily anticipating a shortfall in state revenue sharing. During Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting, Goodine shared his concerns with the board and asked for direction regarding “building a budget.” “I am really worried. Trying to find $20,000 in the budget is hard. Finding $200,000 will be next to impossible,” he said. Goodine said that the potential of losing state revenue sharing amounts to approximately $200,000 that could have been applied as income for the town’s upcoming budget. That money would make the town less reliant on property owners’ tax bills. “The governor (Gov. Paul LePage) has said he won’t have taxes. But his cuts equal taxes,” Goodine said. “Our property taxes will probably go up. I don’t know what else to do because the money from the state has just evaporated,” he said. “It’s really a cut in services. A lot of us town managers view it as a slap in the face,” Goodine said. He talked about some money-saving solutions he was considering: Furlough works days — which wouldn’t save much money in an office CUTS, Page 12A
would need to be obtained, and then design specifications and cost estimates could be drawn up. Krieg said she would return to the board in about a month with more details. Historic Walking Trail Twenty-one owners of homes and businesses dating to 1871 or earlier have already agreed to participate in the Bridgton Historical Society’s Historic Walking Trail project, and member Tom Stone said the society is anxious to begin work soon so that the trail could be ready by this summer. The society is seeking $3,000 from the town’s Moose Pond Trust Fund, which would pay for the production and printing of 1,000 SIGNS, Page 12A
MALLARD MART FIRE — The metal roof on the Mallard Mart in Waterford, as shown, held the fire inside and allowed it to build, said owner Ed Michaud. By the time the first firefighters arrived to the Feb. 21 fire, the inside walls were aflame. The store was insured, and Michaud said he hopes to rebuild and be open by this summer. (Gulbrandsen Photo)
Store owner says he’ll rebuild
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer NORTH WATERFORD — An old light fixture in a service bay is suspected for causing a fire Feb. 21 that destroyed the Mallard Mart on Route 118 in Waterford. Firefighters from six towns spent three hours putting out the fire, and were hampered in their efforts by the store’s metal roof, which held flames in and allowed the fire to build, according to storeowner Ed Michaud. Michaud said he and several of his employees were meeting with vendor company representatives inside the store
when the smoke detector went off at around 10 a.m. They went out back to investigate, and saw smoke billowed near the ceiling. They ran outside, and could see smoke coming from the upstairs apartment. “A lot of (the fire) was burning above us and we didn’t even know it,” Michaud said, noting that the store’s metal roof held in the fire and allowed it to build in intensity. The building dates back to the 1930s and has had around five or six separate additions over the years. Waterford firefighters arrived within minutes to find the inside walls aflame.
They were soon joined by ladder trucks from Paris and Oxford. Stoneham, Harrison and Norway Fire Departments also helped to knock down the fire. “The response was great, and they were great,” Michaud said of the firefighters. Soon after arriving, Waterford Assistant Fire Chief Tom Murch came over to Michaud, and put a dime in his hand. “He said, ‘I found this on the ground, I think you’re going to need it’,” said Michaud, who took over the former Kosi’s Market at the corner of Route 118 and 35 three and
a half years ago and renamed it Mallard Mart. Michaud, who also owns Mallard Marts in Bethel and Norway, lost everything in the fire, but both contents and building were insured, he said. “We’re very hopeful that we can rebuild, but so much depends on the insurance company,” Michaud said. The investigator from the state Fire Marshal’s Office who was on the scene Thursday and Friday has made a preliminary determination that the fire was caused by a malfunctioning light fixture in one of REBUILD, Page 12A
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Assistant Fire Chief Tim Cook was being investigated for possible misconduct prior to his retirement Feb. 1, Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz confirmed Monday. Cook, a 45-year-veteran of the department, was placed on paid administrative leave last October, and a third-party investigation was conducted, but was dropped, with no action taken when he retired, Berkowitz said. “We did in fact have a thirdparty investigation, but the investigation we authorized was stopped as a result of his retirement,” Berkowitz said. “The reality of all that is Mr.
Cook retired.” Asked for comment on the reason for his retirement on Tuesday, Cook said, “That’s in litigation,” and declined further comment. He said he was advised not to speak about it, and expressed surprise that Berkowitz had confirmed the investigation had taken place. Berkowitz would not comment on the nature of the investigation, only saying that it related to whether Cook had violated the department’s policies, procedures and practices. In his role as assistant fire chief, and as a town employee. Cook was paid a quarterly stipend, and continued to receive that stipend up until his retirement. Berkowitz said he had no
direct discussion with Cook until Cook notified the town that he had decided to retire. Berkowitz and Fire Chief Glen Garland accepted Cook’s decision effective Feb. 1. No actions have been filed in either District or Superior Court in Cumberland County regarding Cook or the town. Garland said Tuesday that Cook’s departure leaves a huge hole in leadership operations, and he wanted the public to know how much Cook’s dedication to the department has contributed to the department over the many years he served, especially with regard to how much money he has saved the town. Garland said Cook spent
countless hours of his own time researching and working with equipment and training requirements for firefighters. Just a few of Cook’s recent projects included reprogramming of radio communications and testing firefighters for proper fit of breathing masks. Garland said Cook saved the town thousands of dollars by becoming a BFD, Page A
Retirement leads to FD restructuring
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Should condoms be made accessible at no charge to students at Lake Region High School? School nurse Karry Joly, R.N., supports the idea. Joly proposed the idea to the SAD 61 School Board’s Personnel Committee, which approved the concept by a 3–1 vote. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathy Beecher said the committee member casting the dissenting vote did not express a reason for opposing the measure. Now, the proposal will be discussed at the full board level this Monday night, March 4 at 7 p.m. at Lake Region Vocational Center. Directors will decide whether to allow the practice, and will likely discuss “how” the program will work. Superintendent Beecher said three to four outside agencies, such as Planned Parenthood, would provide the condoms at no charge to SAD 61. The proposal was first unveiled before the Personnel Committee last spring because distribution of condoms by the school nurse would be a change in the individual’s job description. “Karry’s feeling is that it is her job to keep kids safe and healthy,” Superintendent Beecher said. The committee did discuss whether parents would be asked to “sign off” to allow their sons or daughters access to the free condoms. Members rejected the concept, feeling students again could see it as an obstacle to gain personal protection from unwanted pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases. “Karry has heard from students about their concerns. In rural areas like ours, there are really no confidential places students can go to access condoms. Places where kids can get them, like Hannaford, there is a very good chance that the person waiting on them will be people they know, and that makes some kids very uncomCONDOMS, Page 12A
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