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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 150, No. 17
24 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
April 25, 2019
Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 7B
www.bridgton.com
(USPS 065-020)
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Attorney: ‘Do the right thing’
Vet’s monument moved to beach Beach property in time for the upcoming Memorial Day services this year. According to an elated Merrill, things moved quickly once the Naples town manager phoned the monument company. In fact, after the phone call, the moving equipment arrived in Naples the following morning. For more than five years, there have been plans for this to happen so there is sense of relief that it is finally moved, Merrill said. People will be able to enjoy the new site at the next Memorial Day services, Merrill said.
On Monday, Naples Town Manager John Hawley said the Veterans’ monument was moved on Thursday. He said after talking to Merrill on Wednesday, he got on the phone with Collette Monuments Inc., of Lewiston. The employee said they did not want to make ruts in the lawn; and Hawley told them not to worry about that, he said. The next morning, Hawley was notified that the monument-moving equipment would be in Naples in about one hour and a half, he said. Once the wheels got roll-
ing, everything went rather quickly. Now that the heavy lifting is finished, the town has a short punch list. “We will be working toward getting the pulleys replaced on the flag pole and getting that moved and the electrical set up to the monument site for lighting the flag,” Hawley said. Additionally, the granite benches will need to be moved but that can be done with town equipment, Hawley said. “The goal is to have it all done by Memorial Day,” he said.
Campground ordinance heard
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — The Casco Planning Board has been working on some ordinances that are likely to show up as warrant articles at town meeting in June. One of those would allow campgrounds to be developed in commercial zones. Currently, “Campgrounds are only allowed in residential. Campgrounds are restricted in commercial,” said Casco Code Enforcement Officer Alex Sirois. “Point Sebago Resort came to the town, asking for an ordinance to allow campgrounds in the Commercial Zone,” according to Casco Town Planner James Seymour. “Alex and I couldn’t figure out why this was never allowed.” The public hearing for the proposed ordinanc-
es was held Tuesday night during the Casco Board of Selectmen’s meeting, which was also a joint meeting with the local planning board. After being approached by Point Sebago Resort management, the Casco Code Enforcement Department decided it might be a good idea to permit campgrounds in the Commercial Zone where there is enough land. The proposed Campground Ordinance would require that camp-
sites have an 80-foot setback, Sirois said. A tree buffer is required, Seymour said, for the benefit of both the campers and passing traffic. People desiring to develop a campground would schedule a site plan review with the planning board. Also, in the past months, a proposed amendment to the Dog Kennel Ordinance was drafted. “We raised the number of dogs from three to five,”
Sirois said. It addresses people who are breeding and selling or adopting out canines for a fee, he said. “For a fee — that takes out people who have four or five or six dogs” as pets, he said. Sirois said that it is fairly easy to figure out who is selling dogs or charging a fee to kennel dogs because those people have websites, Facebook pages or advertise in another way.
Water protection bill passes State Representative Jessica Fay’s bill to protect water quality by requiring septic inspections in Shoreland Zones at the time property is transferred was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills Monday.
capable of managing the motel. Bryant added that proceeds from the property’s sale would represent Connolly’s lone source of income for retirement. In 34 to 35 years in practicing law, Bryant said he has yet to see a town be unwilling to work with a property owner to repay taxes owed and allow the individual to reclaim a property. “It’s a matter of asking the town to do the right thing,” Bryant said. With a final eviction date of May 15 looming, Bryant added “it would be nice to get a decision from the board before then.” Selectmen entered executive session with Town Manager Robert Peabody, Deputy Town Manager Georgiann Fleck, and the town’s attorney at 5:40 p.m. The group returned to BRIDGTON, Page 3A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The town has mailed off the invitations and ordered the banners. While it might seem like such fanfare is reserved for holiday celebrations, getting the word out about Naples Annual Town Meeting is a priority because the date has changed from June to April. It’s April 30 — to be exact. “Just a reminder to all that the annual town meeting will be Tuesday night at the town gym, beginning at 6 p.m.,” Naples Town Manager John Hawley said. “Postcards were mailed a few weeks ago to every mailbox in Naples,” Hawley said. “We did order banners and those should be going up any day now, just waiting for those to arrive,” he said. “The annual town reports are currently at the printers. But the warrant articles and budget information can all be found on our website and paper copies can be picked up at the town office,” he said.
The town’s website address is www.townofnaples.org Voting residents will be looking at a $12,461,292 proposed budget. About $4 million will go toward the town’s operating cost, and the remainder goes toward the budgets of Cumberland County and the School Administrative District (SAD) 61. This year, the voters will also consider multiple ordinances or ordinance amendments. Those include: the Town of Naples Sign Ordinance, the Chimney Ordinance (which would allow metalbestos piping), the Aquatic Invasive Plant Survey Ordinance, the Marine Safety Ordinance article changes and the Marine Division Enforcement Ordinance. Also, the Naples Land Use Ordinance codification will need voter approval. Additionally, voters will decide if they would like to repeal or remove the reference to signs in the Shoreland Zoning NAPLES, Page 2A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — For some reason, the Naples Information Center has been operating separate from the town. On Monday, the Naples Board of Selectmen corrected this oversight. As of July 1, the new fiscal year, the Info Center will be officially classified as a department of the Town of Naples. The board voted unanimously, with all members present, to include the info center as a town department
— something that some people were surprised was not already the case. “We pay her an hourly wage during the summer to open the info center. She does the brochure during the winter. The purpose of the discussion tonight is: [We] want to reel it in and make it part of the town,” Chairman Jim Grattelo said. According to Naples Town Manager John Hawley, the oversight was discovered when he decided to review the information center after looking at the CENTER Page 2A
Naples gears up for meeting
WATER RISING — Fryeburg Police and Fire Department’s Swift Water Rescue Team deployed the Police Airboat to assess flood damage to areas of Lovewell Pond in Fryeburg on Tuesday. Lovewell Pond and Saco River swelled substantially overnight causing water damage to several homes (approximately 25) in the area. Crews located and collected hazardous debris from the waters such as floating gas/propane tanks and coordinated with Central Maine Power Company to have electricity cut from affected homes. Several of the propane/oil tanks were found separating from the homes and floating, causing them to leak. Fire Department staff secured the leaking tanks. No injuries were reported due to this flooding. “The Saco River and Lovewell Pond water levels came up substantially overnight due to the rainfall and ice/ snow melting in the nearby mountains. We wanted to assess the situation by boat to ensure no residents were stranded or needed our assistance due to the flooding,” Fryeburg Chief of Police Joshua Potvin reported. (Photos courtesy of Fryeburg Police Department)
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The Naples Veterans’ monument has been relocated to a new home. The new location will give visitors better views of Long Lake; and, more importantly, when crowds gather at the monument, there will be more space to stand without stepping onto the street. Curtis Merrill, the longtime post commander for the local American Legion Post 155, is delighted that the monument has been moved from the corner of the Village Green to the Naples
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Attorney Richard Bryant admitted the town correctly followed procedure when it took possession of the First and Last Motel due to foreclosure. The town also reached agreement in Bridgton District Court with former owner Jo-Anne Connolly regarding eviction of present tenants (by May 1), as well as herself (by May 15). Tuesday night, Bryant made a final plea to town officials to reconsider their decision on “moral” grounds. He pointed out that the property is assessed at $391,770, while the taxes owed is just $425.32. The Connolly family is agreeable to pay the back taxes, as well as to place the property for sale since Jo-Anne Connolly is no longer
In the Coastal Shoreland Zone it is already required in Maine law that subsurface wastewater (septic) systems be inspected when there is a property transfer. The new law extends that requirement to cover all
Shoreland Zones throughout the state. “I’d like to thank Governor Mills for signing this bill,” said Fay, D-Raymond. “Given the increased pressure added WATER, Page 5A
Info Center under umbrella
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