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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 145, No. 13
20 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
March 27, 2014
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5B
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Proposed SAD 61 budget hits $28.4M By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer A vote to rescind made some teens very happy and possibly made the proposed SAD 61 school budget more palatable for taxpayers. After hearing an emotional plea from students enrolled in the high school Alternative Education program to leave the program at Crooked River Adult and Community Education Center on Route 11 and not move it to the “White House” portable at Lake Region H.S. and Vocational Center grounds, SAD 61 school board members rescinded a previous vote to reopen Crooked River as
an elementary school. If the facility reverted back to elementary instruction — a move to ease the overpopulated situation at Songo Locks School — the district would need to pump in significant dollars to outfit the building for the change in instruction. Current programs located there, such as the Alternative Ed and Adult Ed programs, would be relocated. Adult Ed Director Carrie Castonguay reminded the school board at a previous meeting that a move would likely result initially in a decrease in enrollment, which results in revenue loss. A compelling argument
Smith named superintendent
One of the first jobs Alan Smith undertook upon graduating from college was as a physical education teacher for Grades 6 to 8 in Bridgton. Thirty-nine years later, Smith has come full circle. He will become Superintendent of Schools for SAD 61 on July 1, succeeding Dr. Kathleen Beecher. SAD 61 School Board Chairman Janice Barter announced at Monday night’s meeting in the Great Room at Lake Region Vocational Center that a search committee received 16 applications and five potential candidates were interviewed. In the end, the committee recommended Smith for the post. The school board unanimously voted to hire Smith, who was in attendance Monday night. Barter said Smith was one of three candidates with superintendent experience. She described Smith as approachable, down to earth, and having a sense of humor. Barter served as a guide Monday, taking Smith on a tour of the district. “He was very impressed with the condition of our buildings and how well kept they are,” Barter said. “He was very interested in our programming and meeting with our administrators.” During conversation, Barter learned that when Smith was the physical education teacher here (he worked at both Bridgton and Casco Memorial), he was only part-time. He also worked at the Windham Correctional Center. He left to find full-time work. Now, he is anxious to return to the Lake Region area. Smith was presented a three-year contract with an annual salary of $117,500. “Thank you for giving me this opportunity,” Smith told directors. “I am looking forward to working with all of you.” SUPERINTENDENT, Page B
Phosphorus fee Bridgton plan?
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Selectmen are taking a cautious approach on a proposal by Lakes Environmental Association to require small developers to pay stormwater compensation fees. The board wants the Planning Board to weigh in on the plan before taking action, and to see more details on how the program would work. As proposed by LEA Assistant Director Colin Holme, the town would set up an escrow account to accept phosphorus compensation fees from small projects. The monies could then be used to replace undersized culverts, improve ditches, maintain catch basins or do other
stormwater-related work in other locations in the watershed where the threat from stormwater runoff is greater and currently unaddressed. Holme said Tuesday the state requires developers of larger subdivisions to treat at least 60% of its phosphorus on site. The rest may be offset by paying a fee. But when less than an acre of phosphorus is disturbed, there is no need for a state review. That puts smaller developers at a disadvantage, said Holme, because meeting state phosphorus standards is often more difficult on a smaller site. “By creating a townowned dedicated escrow fund to accept phosphorus comFEE, Page 12A
Noise battle lost, bigger war looms By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer SOUTH PARIS — The Oxford County Board of Assessment Review on Tuesday denied the latest request for a tax abatement in the ongoing battle over gun noise from the Waterford Fish and Game Association. But, while the town may have won that battle, the bigger war is just beginning. The Waterford Noise
Abatement Coalition served written notice that it will sue the town on April 1 for failing to uphold its Site Plan Review Ordinance by allowing the club to expand its operations without undergoing site plan review. Voters approved $40,000 in legal expenses to fight the lawsuit at the March 1 Town Meeting. Selectman Chairman Randy Lessard said Tuesday NOISE, Page A
against change came Monday night from Alternative Ed instructor Brian Clark and current students. Clark noted that when the present group of students were enrolled in the high school, they were responsible for nearly 400 behavioral referrals. By placing them in a small workspace, Clark suspects history will repeat itself. Clark pointed out the successes of the program, especially the fact 31 of 32 students graduated on time, and the one student who did not achieved a General Equivalency Diploma (GED). With LRHS striving to continue improvements in its
overall graduation rate, Clark said it would be a mistake to place at-risk students back into an environment in which they failed to realize any success. “Half of these kids will not graduate if they come back here,” Clark said. Ashley, a junior in the Alternative Ed program, praised her instructors — Clark and Lynne Harrison — “for bringing me so far.” Another student explained that she suffered tremendous anxiety and was unable to function at the high school. If she had to attend school at the White House, a portable unit located behind the vocational
THE PRICE TAG Based on $1.4 million in state subsidy and a 2% budget increase (General Fund, Adult Education and Capital Reserve), the estimated town assessments if the proposed budget passes would be: Bridgton — $461,385 increase. Bridgton’s share of the school district assessment is 36.24%. Casco — $84,421 increase. Casco’s share is 23.06%. Naples — $182,380 increase. Naples’ share is 26.31%. Sebago — $50,567 decrease. Sebago’s share is 14.39%. center, she questioned how she would fare. The emotion displayed by students did move several school board members to change their minds. Others may have been
swayed by fear that taxpayers would reject the budget because of the reopening’s additional cost. Bridgton Selectman Bernie King has heard such grumblings in BUDGET, Page A
WOMEN WARM UP BY MAPLE SYRUP STEAM — Linda England and Nancy Grigg, both of Bridgton, made Thunder Hill Farms in Waterford their second stop on Maine Maple Sunday. (De Busk Photo)
Sweet on the brain, taste buds By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer HARRISON — As she poured topaz-colored maple syrup across the wintery white ice cream, Melissa Duffy talked about what she had recently learned about the sweet substance. “There was a great show on NPR. It explained how the Canadian government sets the market price for maple syrup. There is a whole reserve of maple syrup,” she said. “You think it is just about tapping a tree. But, it’s a lot more complicated than that,” she said. Duffy and her family had just wrapped up a tour at Dad’s Maple Sugar Shack in Harrison, and she had found that quite educational. “I like this place. It’s nice and small. It has the feel of a family-run operation,” Duffy said. This was the first time that her family had participated in Maine Maple Sunday, which falls on the fourth Sunday in March every year.
Duffy had learned about the agricultural promotion when her daughter brought home a handout from school. It included a map of sugaring operations in the area. The Cumberland residents were visiting family in Lovell, and decided to give Maine Maple Sunday a whirl before heading home. After admiring the angora rabbits, her two daughters were eating lunch: ice cream drizzled with maple syrup. From Waterford to Poland, residents who attended the various events found it to be pleasurable for both the brain and the taste buds. Eight-year-old Brooklynn Merrill had a long list of food she had consumed: two ice cream samples, two samples of organic beef briskets, half a maple whoopee pie and a couple cups of hot cocoa. After all she needed those calories. Merrill had volunteered her time to help out at Thunder Hill Farms in Waterford, where she lives. She was especially fond of the MAPLE SUNDAY, Page 12A
Vendors: What will be the cost? By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — How much will vendors be charged to sell products — including food — outdoors? That is one of the questions that was nailed down during a workshop for the proposed amendments to the Town of Naples’ Street Vendor Ordinance. Several business owners and citizens met with the Naples Board of Selectmen on Monday to go over revisions to the street vendor ordinance, which was approved at Town Meeting last year. The town-contracted lawyer, Mary Costigan, and Casco Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Renee Carter were on hand to explain the changes and answer questions. After an hour-long workshop, the board directed
Costigan to add the proposed revisions to the entire ordinance, and reschedule another workshop. “We had gotten further. The next thing will be (to review) everything together in a big packet,” Selectman Robert Caron II said. The only time that business owners will be required to pay a licensing fee is when they place items in the public rights-of-way. This pertains to the sale of food and beverages in an al fresco dining area, and it also pertains to the sale of products displayed in the ROW. For this license, there will be a one-time fee of $2,000 plus an annual fee of $4 per square foot, or $20 per item. The $2,000 permit fee would remain with the business until it changes hands. Then, the new owner would be required to re-apply for
the license to sell wares on public land, according to Costigan. The town would have the right to designate which areas on the Causeway and around the Village Green would be available to street vendors. “The town would draw up a map” of designated areas,” Caron II said. The town attorney added, “You can only be a street vendor on public property if you are in the designated space.” Additionally, the board of
selectman would maintain the right to waive any fees for vending licenses. According to Costigan, the proper language is waiver, not grandfather rights. Essentially, no one would have grandfather rights because allowing businesses to operate as they may have in the past — using the ROWs as extensions of the business without a license — is not legally binding. A waiver would have to be granted by the board on an annual, case-by-case basis. VENDORS, Page 12A
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