Praising turnaround
Final wish
Commissioner of Education Steven Bowen speaks on LRHS improvements
Inside News
Big push is on to finish Crystal Lake gazebo project in Harrison
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Calendar . . . . . . 7A, 10A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 8B Country Living . . 8B-11B
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Directory . . . . . . . . . . 4B Obituaries . . . . . . . . 10B Opinions 1B-4B, 11B-12B Police/Court . . . . 9B, 11B Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 7B Student News 5B-7B, 9B Games . . . . . . . . . . . 11B
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 144, No. 15
24 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
April 11, 2013
(USPS 065-020)
Oil leaks into stream
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — An oil leak into Meadow Brook prompted the action of Casco’s code enforcement officer and a state environmental agency employee. All contaminated soil was immediately removed, and a boom was placed in the water after an approximately 50gallon home heating oil spill, according to Casco CEO Don Murphy. The spill was reported on the morning of March 8, Murphy said. “There was a significant oil slick in the stream,” he said. After doing an initial site walk, Murphy called the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and by that afternoon, DEP Hazardous Materials Specialist Stephen Breninski arrived in Casco to help inspect the discharge. The spill occurred on a privately-owned parcel, where a few buildings were recently slated for demolition. Breninski and Murphy traced the source of the leak to an oil furnace in the basement of one of the structures on the property. “A lead or metal pipe had rusted. The 250 gallon tank had breached,” Murphy said. “We removed the oil fill pipe. We pumped the remaining 200 gallons out of the tank. So, it is empty now,” Murphy said. “Once the building is down, DEP will remove the oil-soaked soil LEAK, Page 12A
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Not even an hour into her new job as executive director of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, it became clear at a Monday interview that Barbara Clark will be a takecharge kind of leader. That was certainly her style at the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber, where, as its nine-year executive director, she reached out to serve on the boards of both the Lakes Region Development Council and the Windham Economic Development Corporation — while also serving on many local initiatives, including the milfoil problem in Sebago Lake and state reconstruction of the Naples Causeway. Until the bottom dropped out of the economy in 2008, she grew membership in the 10-town Sebago Lakes Chamber by 20 percent a year to around 360 businesses, reaching out to both tiny home-based entrepreneurs to giant corporations. “The bottom line of my passion is, I love business,” said Clark, who moved to
Naples with her husband after a 14-year career as a senior manager at AT&T. She believes in the power of forming strategic alliances locally, statewide and nationally as the way for businesses to grow and prosper. She put that belief into action by serving as past president of the Maine Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and receiving four years of management training from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Sitting in the Greater Bridgton Chamber office Monday with former Executive Director Jim Mains Jr. and Board President Ken Murphy, Clark said she looked forward to meeting members of the 13-town chamber at Wednesday’s reception at the Campfire Grille in West Bridgton. The gathering was also intended as a send-off for Mains, who left a month ago after three and a half years to become General Manager of the Bridgton Highlands Golf Course. “I tell you, I am extremely happy, because my role was to come in and CLARK, Page 12A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Like many towns in Maine, Naples Town Manager Derik Goodine and the local budget committee are preparing for a possible worst-case scenario. On Monday, Goodine and the Naples Board of Selectmen hashed over the proposed budget if state funding is slashed. Per usual, the goal of the budget planners has been to keep the mill rate as low as possible. “We have to pay the piper sooner or later,” Goodine said, adding he would prefer that Naples’ property taxpayers ease into any
increase. “I think we can land this budget. But, we will have some overdrafts — if we don’t have everything go right,” Goodine said. “My budget is the tightest I’ve ever seen it. I am kind of scared if something goes wrong. The reserve fund is our best friend in case something unforeseen happens,” he said. Goodine’s current proposed budget reduces the capital reserve fund essentially delaying some road paving and saving the town $100,000. Board members suggested having an alternative budget with fewer cuts. The BUDGET, Page A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — If you have to tell people what to do — where not to park, where to walk their dogs, not to dive or jump off the bridge — well, at least do it nicely. For years it has been the concept of the Causeway Restoration Committee to purchase signs that were aesthetically pleasing and uniform with the look of the town’s green space, The Town of Naples has ordered green-on-white reflective signs to be placed on the Causeway. But, rather than putting those signs on a plain metal post, the new sign posts will be constructed with treated pine. So, the signs will be displayed like informative signs on public trails or at state parks. “We want to make the
Causeway look like a park,” Selectman Rick Paraschak said. On Monday night, Paraschak updated the Naples Board of Selectmen on continuing Causeway renovation issues. “We needed a lot of signage. Everything needs a sign. No dogs off leash. No parking here,” he said. The signs are retro-reflective and up to the state standards, he said. Town Manager Derik Goodine carried into the meeting room an example of the sign mounted on a 7-foot-tall double-legged post built from pine. Those will be properly installed as other details come into place this spring on the Causeway. Meanwhile, in a related matter, Paraschak said he had SIGNS, Page 12A
Naples discusses budget approach
THE OPPORTUNE TIME — After three and a half years spent stabilizing the health of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, former Executive Director Jim Mains Jr., left, said Barbara Clark’s hiring as his successor comes at “the opportune time,” because of her extensive experience working with state agencies and organizations such as the Western Maine Lakes and Tourism Council. With them at right is Chamber Board of Directors President Ken Murphy, who said both he and the board are “ecstatic” Clark’s been hired. (Geraghty Photo)
a nonbinding referendum,” said Selectman Bernie King. “It merely gives us an idea of what the people want us to do,” and does not commit the town either way. Any formal proposal to sell the 40-acre campground, excluding the .3-acre point protruding into Long Lake, would have to come back to the voters, with specifics, before any sale could take place. The referendum language will be reviewed by the town’s attorney and will return to the board for final action on April 23. If the vote is yes, then the town could justify the time and expense of exploring the sale further. If the vote is
no, selectmen then know they can move on to explore other recommendations contained in the Salmon Point Report created by the Community Development Committee. “The language would not obligate the town to take the offer, even if it is $5 million,” said CDC member Mark Lopez. Fellow member Chuck Renneker agreed, saying, “The reason we brought this to you was not to sell, it was to research whether it was worth it to sell it.” CDC Chairman Mike Tarantino said his committee stands ready to hold public meetings and charettes up until the June 11 referendum to make sure residents know what
they’ll be voting on. The campground consists of three lots with a combined assessed value of around $1.7 million. The nonbinding referendum, as initially drafted by the CDC and later tweaked by Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz, asks voters to authorize selectmen to solicit a request for proposals from parties who might want to purchase and develop the property. It also states: “Any sale price for the non-beach area and parking must at a minimum sell for no less than $2 million and generate a minimum of $75,000 in property taxes within the first 12 months after the purSALMON, Page A
Late fee blues
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer An upset William Barnes harried Bridgton’s Board of Selectmen for nearly an hour Tuesday, incensed over having to pay a $25 late fee for forgetting to license his dog on time. Even after he was told the late fee is a state fine, and that the town has no choice but to impose it, Barnes still wasn’t happy. Here he is, a law-abiding taxpayer, licensing his dog as he should. But FEES, Page A
www.bridgton.com
Clark hired as Chamber exec
Salmon Point question to voters By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Despite calls to dismiss the whole idea and move on, the Bridgton Board of Selectmen voted 3–1 Tuesday to go forward with a nonbinding referendum for June asking voters whether the town should sell all but the beach property at the Salmon Point Campground on Long Lake. Selectmen Bob McHatton wanted to wait until November to grant more time for public education on the vote, but most selectmen felt they needed to gauge voter opinion before knowing what to do next. “The people have to realize that this wording is for
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 9B
Signs won’t clutter Causeway
The Bridgton News Established 1870
WHERE’S THE BEEF? — Bridgton resident William Barnes railed against the injustice of having to pay a $25 late fee for forgetting to relicense his dog, when those dog owners who never license their animals aren’t penalized at all by the town. Bridgton’s Board of Selectmen promised to update the town’s out-of-date database on dog ownership and to have the animal control officer investigate unlicensed dogs in town.
P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Bridgton, ME 04009 207-647-2851 Fax: 207-647-5001 bnews@roadrunner.com