Sign of spring
On thin ice
Work begins at the Webb House, which is part of a three-part museum project
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As spring finally takes hold in the Lake Region, the public is warned to watch for thin ice
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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 146, No. 15
20 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
April 9, 2015
Board pushes project ahead By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Believing strongly in the need to “move the process along,” Bridgton Selectmen on Tuesday voted 5–0 to spend up to $11,000 to have Casco Bay Engineering inspect the interior of the Town Hall. At the same time, bids will be sought for Phase I stabilization work on the exterior. The vote came on the same day a citizen’s petition was filed to force a secret ballot vote this June that would prevent the town from spending any money on repairs until the total cost of both interior and exterior repairs is determined and approved by voters. Tuesday’s vote followed several weeks of intense debate over whether to keep to the plan approved by voters last June that was sparked when the building’s furnace developed cracks and began releasing carbon dioxide. An insurance claim is being filed, but the full furnace replacement costs of $80,000 were not included in the Phase 1 work — and many residents became concerned about what other hidden problems would reveal themselves once the work gets underway. Voters approved a financing package of $300,000 for Phase I repairs to the exterior, but it
will take another $400,000 to complete the work. As the discussion began, Selectmen quickly rejected a proposal to create an ad-hoc committee to determine total repair costs and make recommendations on repurposing the building. Immediately after that vote, Wastewater Committee Chairman Glen “Bear” Zaidman — who strongly supported further study by an ad-hoc panel — told Selectman Chairman Bernie King he was resigning his committee and walked out of the meeting. Scope of services The $11,000 interior building analysis contract with Casco Bay Engineering is in addition to the $32,000 the town has already paid the firm for its exterior analysis study and preparation of bid specs. The scope of services calls for engineer Eric Dube to inspect for evidence of water intrusion that could cause mold to grow in wood framing, duct work, flooring and foundation, and to test for mold, radon and lead. He’ll also conduct a plumbing inspection and hookups to the septic field, and do an electrical inspection of all wiring, sockets and panelboards, and inspect the ceiling and wall covering. PROJECT, Page A
TIRELESS HELPER — Anne Krieg, Bridgton’s Director of Planning, Dconomic and Community Development, passed out copies of Casco Bay Engineering’s proposal to inspect the interior of Town Hall, which has not yet been done. Selectmen agreed to have the firm do the interior analysis, and also voted to put the exterior Phase I work out to bid. (Geraghty Photo)
Naples eyes MDOT facility By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Anyone who has stuff knows how quickly storage space can be filled. For the Town of Naples, the storage space in the town hall basement and the outdoor shed is getting crammed with stuff the town owns. The space gets crowded when fair weather items are stored during the winter months. In fact, the Causeway benches are currently housed — out of the element — in the Rick’s Café building, according to Naples Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak. Plus, surplus tools and maintenance equipment requires storage space. Year-round, an extra stock of road signs needs a place to lean. “As a growing municipality, for a town our size, we have accumulated a lot of stuff,” Paraschak said. A storage solu-
tion could be close at hand, he said. The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) put on the real estate market a piece of property on Route 11, located at 206 Casco Road, just north of Stuart’s Garage. Paraschak said he learned about it about six months ago, and has had several meetings with MDOT staff regarding the potential land deal. The state’s stipulation is that the buildings on the lot must be used as a storage facility or for maintenance purposes, he said. That clause is convenient since the town and the fire department are lacking storage, he said. Paraschak gave a quick overview during a Naples Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday. The asking price is $115,000 with a “reversion clause,” meanMDOT, Page A
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Citizens start recall petition By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer A petition for recall was submitted Tuesday to the Denmark Town Office as the first step by some residents to force the ouster of Denmark Town Manager Dan Merhalski. The petitioners are upset that Selectmen Richard Mason, Beverly Caparco and Ed Enos did not respond to a earlier petition, submitted to the board at their Dec. 3, 2014 meeting, that requested Merhalski be fired while he was still in his six-month probationary period. That earlier petition charged that Merhalski’s “approach to his responsibilities” was “unsuitable for the town of Denmark.” Only Mason and Caparco are listed on separate recall petitions, since Enos is leaving the board in June. If the required total of 186 residents sign both petitions at the town office during business hours by the May 6 deadline, a recall vote must be held under the rules of Denmark’s Town Charter. The recall petitions list four separate reasons as justification: an illegal executive session, failure to respond LACK OF RESPONSE to concerns about the “fit” of Denmark Town Manager Dan Merhalski with Denmark to the earlier petition, a vote to not allow public comment residents have led to a petition of recall against two of about Merhalski’s actions as town manager, and errors or RECALL, Page A the three selectmen.
Hall option heads to ballot box By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Through the citizens’ petition process, the voters will be given another option for the future Casco Town Hall during June’s election. The petition, which was being circulated by former selectman Ray Grant, was submitted this week, and it had the required number of signatures from registered voters, according to Casco Town Manager Dave Morton “The town has received a petition with verified signatures. It will be on agenda for April 28,” Morton said on Tuesday. Grant introduced his petition to the Casco Board of Selectmen a few weeks ago. The basic concept is to reduce costs of a future town office by creating an addition to and replacing heating systems of the building now being used by town staff. Grant said he felt it was important to cap the amount
of money spent on expansion of the existing town hall. His reason was to reduce any burden on the property taxpayers. As stated in the language of the petition, there will a $350,000 cap. Additionally, the referendum would restrict the size of the addition to 3,000 square feet. The required number of signatures for a citizens’ petition is 10% of Casco voters from the most recent gubernatorial election, according to municipal law. Therefore, at least 76 signatures were needed, according to Town Clerk Lucille Griffin. Meanwhile, selectmen have been working toward obtaining the cost estimates for two town hall options in a timely manner. Both would be on the property which houses the Casco Fire Station. The other choice, being put forth by the board, would be to build new on the lot. The basic parameters of the town office options have been handed over to Hancock
Casco sizes up Dayton’s Town Hall By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — If the Casco Energy Committee members had jobs as trip advisors, their recommended destination turned out to be a pleasant tour and visit. Recently, Town Manager Dave Morton and Selectman Tom Peaslee took the ride to see Dayton’s Town Office, which has been billed as energy-efficient. Their journey was part of the board’s objective to improve the current, cramped quarters of the Casco Town Hall. Morton and Peaslee embarked on an information-gathering mission, and reported their findings to the Casco Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. “When we were down there, I wasn’t sure what I would find,” Peaslee said. “I was impressed. It was a nice building,” he said. “For a town that size, the people are forward thinking. Everything in the building can expand if they need it to,” he SIZING UP DAYTON, Page 10A Lumber. Hancock is being tasked with only doing price estimates for both plans: to build new or expand and renovate. Board of Selectmen Chairman Grant Plummer
said he would not pick a favorite plan when it comes to the debate of build new versus expand. His biggest concern was the cap on the cost that was included in OPTION, Page 10A
King speaks on climate control By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — This winter might not be the best example of global warming — with lower than normal monthly temperatures, belated ice-outs, and snow flurries landing atop unmelted snowbanks in early April. This winter is the exception to the documented trend, according to scientist David Hart. More than 100 years of ice-out dates on Maine lakes stand as a testament that climate change is a reality, Hart said. “Between the late 1800s and late 1900s, the ice-out dates have moved forward earlier in the year by about a month,” he said. Additionally, years-long data reveals that Maine’s average air temperatures are rising, Hart said. Plus, other research illustrates an increase in extreme flooding, especially at Maine’s coast where the sea level has risen a half foot in the last decade, he said. Hart likened the activities that continue to release CO2 into the earth’s atmosphere to a person driving a vehicle “with pedal to the metal” and no concern for the upcoming conditions. Hart, a biology professor and director of the University
of Maine’s George Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions. was one of the guests during a panel discussion on climate change. Other speakers included the Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited President David Miller, Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) board member Connie Cross, and Taryn Hallweaver, the director of Environment Maine, the advocacy group which hosted the forum. Maine’s U.S. Senator Angus King (I-District 1) joined the panel — making a brief stop in Naples and showing his support for the region’s fishermen, winter sports enthusiasts and environmental groups. The forum discussion, which was held at the Naples Town Hall on Thursday, was called “Fishing on Thin Ice.” Sen. King, like Hart, cited scientific evidence as the proof that global warming, also known as climate change, was not an exaggeration. In fact, the senator carries a card called, Climate Change in a Nutshell. It shows graphs of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels in the air compared to average temperatures. Those reading are rising simultaneously, he said. CLIMATE, Page A
U.S. SEN. ANGUS KING (I-District 1) holds a card that shows climate change data. On Thursday, King made a stop in Naples, supporting local environmental groups and area fishermen in their quest for federal legislation to slow climate change. (De Busk Photo)
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