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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 149, No. 13
16 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
March 29, 2018
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5B
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
BCC burglarized, thieves caught
Finally, search is over
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer HARRISON — Tim Pellerin is used to putting out fires. Tim Pellerin He has been a longtime New Harrison Manager firefighter, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a fire chief. In a published story, he said, “As long as I could walk and talk, my Dad started dragging me to the fire station. As young as seven years old, I can remember going on a fire call with my Dad. It was ingrained into me. It just came natural to me. I was around it as a kid and everything I wanted to do was just to be a fireman.” He also handles the little and big brush-ups that occur on the municipal front as a town manager. Now, Pellerin is bringing his unique skill set to Harrison. Pellerin will succeed George “Bud” Finch as the town’s new manager following a lengthy search. He previously served as town manager and fire chief in Rangeley. “I’m looking forward to coming to Harrison because of its character that resembles the Rangeley region, but allows me to be closer to my family and friends,” Pellerin said. MANAGER, Page 8A
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Bridgton is beefing up its security. Some updates have been made at the municipal complex, and some remain in the works at the Bridgton Community Center following a break-in last week. Thieves broke a window located in the back section of the BCC last Monday night, climbed into the facility and allegedly stole some food, according to Police Chief Richard Stillman. Later, staff realized the BCC van was also stolen. At 9:08 a.m., Warren’s Florist also reported a past break. Officer “Mac” McCormick responded to both breaks to process the scenes and interview witnesses. “When the van was reported stolen and entered into the state computer system, we immediately got a
Selectmen meeting notes
hit from Oxford County that they recovered the van at a scene in Waterford, where they had a reported burglary and another vehicle was stolen,” Chief Stillman said. Sgt. Phil Jones directed Officer Sophia Swiatek to check some addresses and Officer Swiatek located the stolen car from Waterford at 322 North Bridgton Road. “After an initial investigation, it was determined that Isaiah Boody, 20, of Bridgton and Zachariah DambrosiaShaw, 28, of Windham were involved,” Chief Stillman reported. “Both turned themselves in to the Bridgton Police the next morning.” Shaw was transported to Oxford County Jail and Boody was bailed later that morning. The case is still under investigation, Chief Stillman added, as there are
“still outstanding issues.” BCC Executive Director Carmen Lone told selectmen Tuesday night that various security measures are being considered. Town Manager Robert Peabody asked if a new motion detector light at the rear of the facility might help, but Lone noted that the electrician had not returned to install the light. Peabody informed selectmen that security at the municipal complex has been improved with the installation of three new doors and updating of the fire panel to digital. In other news: New look, but same problem? The town hall exterior sign could soon get a fresher look, but local resident and ping pong enthusiast Bill Preis questions whether it fixes the problem.
After hearing numerous concerns from neighbors regarding an electronic sign, selectmen decided to look into a more traditional sign, using hand placed lettering rather than a digital message. Selectmen saw a first concept drawing (see photo) of a non-electric sign designed by Muddy River Signs of Bridgton. The sign includes a four-line reader board, which is no higher than six feet at the tallest point from the ground, making it easily accessible for changing out lettering. The proposed cost is $2,000, not including posts, hardware or installation. Preis, who has organized ping pong on Sundays for the past 14 years, feels an electronic sign would allow for many activities to be featured. He added that digital signs continue to evolve — “not so glaring” — enabling SELECTMEN, Page 2A
Visible, vintage barn for sale in Naples
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — One of the unfair things about life is no matter how visible a building is, if it is for sale by a private owner, the people living in that town have very little say in what happens next. That sentiment is exactly what the owner of an historic barn in Naples, Maine, has taken into consideration when he decided to list the property for sale. LaJoie, a longtime developer who calls Naples home, says he will not part with the barn unless the buyer has
a vision that is similar to his. “This is a different bird. This is my hometown. This is Naples. I live within walking distance from it,” said LaJoie. “Since that building has been for sale, everyone has approached me and asked, ‘What are you doing?’” “If someone says they will offer the full price, my first question will be ‘What are you going to do with it?’ If their answer is to turn it into a B&B, a music hall, a wedding venue or a conferenece center, that is good,” LaJoie said. “I want them to have the same vision I have. In no way
is the sale of that building going to take away from the character of Naples.” The barn on the corner of Route 35 (Harrison Road) and Route 302 (Roosevelt Trail) in Naples is being listed at a price of $899,000. Realtor Russ Sweet, of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, The Masiello Group, is handling the sale. The barn sits on a 1.33-acre lot It was built in 1785, less than 10 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The property has been listed since Feb. 16; and, so far, the agent has received a
few inquiries over the phone. The realtor clarified that the barn and land is for sale. In other words, “We are selling the real estate, not a business.” Sweet said. However, there are many applicable types of businesses that could be operated out of the barn, according to both Sweet and LaJoie. “There are a lot of possibilities for that property because of where it is and how it was used in past,” Sweet said. “It could be a function hall. Dan held a wedding there. It was spectactular. Someone could turn it into a wedding facility.
It could be for office space or for retail. It has a broad range of uses. I would think someone would want to run a business there because of the high traffic volume on Route 302. The big plus is the location. That location is prime,” he said. LaJoie echoed ideas for a business venture: Music hall, conference center, wedding and events venue, a bed and breakfast or a retail store selling one-of-a-kind items. He also said that the barn is in the Village District, which limits its uses. For example, a drive-through restaurant
would not be permitted. A potential buyer “would be motivated by owning the real estate and running a business that I agree with. Russ and I will be very particular about what is going in there,” LaJoie said. Since purchasing the barn in 2012, LaJoie cleaned up the clutter on the lawn, made necessary restorations on the interior, painted the exterior and strung up Christmas lights — all improvements that have been received with approval from residents. “It’s much more attracBARN, Page 2A
Excuse to taste sugar
IN THE SUGAR SHACK, Ben McKinney, of Grandpa Joe’s Sugar House, explains to people the process of boiling sap into syrup during Maine Maple Sunday. (De Busk Photo)
Labor, love involved in maple syrup making
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer SEBAGO – Bees extract nectar from flowers and blossoms to make honey. People tap the sap from maple trees to make syrup. It could be said that the region’s maple syrup producers are ‘busy as bees’ during Maine’s tapping time. It is a short and labor intensive season. While maple syrup is available year-round – thanks to a long shelf life, the age-old practice of making maple syrup is packed into a few weeks during the late winter and early spring. In fact, probably nobody claims that making maple syrup is their only job. But, it is a fascinating line of work – one that is shared with the public at least once a year. On Maine Maple Sunday, the area’s syrup producers invited people into their yards, their sugar houses, their barns and their work sheds. Some producers even provided tours of their property. Blue and black hoses linked maple
trees to sap-collection containers in an area referred to as the sugar bush. Some families have been engaging in this agricultural activity for decades; and some are newbies. In North Baldwin, Ben McKenney said that Grandpa Joe’s Sugar House was observing its silver anniversary of being part of the Maine agricultural event listing. “This is our 25th year of Maple Sunday. We made syrup prior to that but didn’t start doing Maple Sunday until 1993,” he said. Meanwhile, Barry Kallander who owns Gray Farm Maples, LLC., in Denmark near the Bridgton town border, said he is going on two years of being a maple syrup farmer. On Sunday, he joked that his business is a ‘non-profit.’ After putting out the signs for Maples Sunday, he stopped at the library to put a flyer on the bulletin board and staff told him only nonprofit events could be placed on the board. He told her he was a nonprofit. SYRUP, Page 8A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Maple Sunday serves as a delicious excuse to take a road trip or a trip down the road, to spend time outdoors with the family, and to stock up on fresh local syrup and other maple products. Ryan Coulombe and his daughter Elliana were engaged in a snowball fight while waiting for the rest of the family to climb back up the hill above Sweet Williams’ sugar shack in Casco. Later, as two-year-old Elliana warmed her hands inside her dad’s coat, Ryan described what they had done so far. They started the morning with a pancake breakfast, which was held at the Crescent Lake Community Center and organized by the Crooked River Snowmobile Club. Then, following Route 11, the family ended up at Sweet Williams, where his son got his face painted like a lion and his wife purchased some maple syrup to bring home. “We’ll be back here again next year. I have been to a lot of places, and this has a really good setup,” said Ryan, whose family drove from Phippsburg, which is west of Bath. “Maine Maple Sunday — it only happens once a year. There are good places to go close to home, but part of Maine Maple Sunday is traveling to a different town and seeing different maple syrup makers,” he said.
FROM BATH TO CASCO — Elliana warms her hands in the coat of her father Ryan Coulombe during Maine Maple Sunday. The family drove from west of Bath to Casco and discovered Sweet Williams. (De Busk Photo) The region’s maple syrup producers agree that Maine Maple Sunday is a great agricultural event, and it accounts for about 50 percent of their annual sales. Westbrook residents Russel and Jessica Dahms are devoted to Sweet Williams, and the family makes it their annual stop. “We spend about an hour. Usually, we hit up a couple more sugar houses,” Russel said. “We did the samples. We did the balloon animals. Now, we are going to buy stuff,”
Jessica said, naming maple butter and syrup specifically. The family was observing a milestone this year, Russel said, referring to his son, 11-month-old Grayson, who was tucked into the child carrier on his back. “It’s his first Maine Maple Sunday,” Russel said with a big smile. Naples resident Amanda Nowinski has a long history of spending Maple Sundays with her family. It starts out with breakfast at home, where maple syrup is paired with SUGAR, Page 2A
The Bridgton News Established 1870
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