Bridgton Select Board notes

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Castleman-Ross voting yes).

Castleman-Ross supported McHatton’s suggestion, feeling it was an “opportunity to see if Bob is right” and noted, “we can always change it the next year.”

In other Select Board business:

BPD adds a mental health resource. Bridgton Police can now tap a person with expertise when responding to “mental health events.”

Police Chief Phil Jones said a “partnership” with Opportunity Alliance has resulted in Courtney Sanchez serving as the new mental health liaison.

Sanchez will assist police during a mental health crisis situation, assess the individual and determine the level of care that is needed, and help that person connect with available resources.

Chief Jones noted that repetitive mental health calls here lead him to seek out assistance.

“We’ve had a staggering number of (mental health) cases,” Chief Jones said. “We’ll be able to hand off these cases to her (Sanchez). The person doesn’t need police services, they need mental health services.”

Making a statement. Via Zoom during public participation, Racheal Sylvester, who is the Outreach Coordinator at the Bridgton Public Library, asked the Select Board that the town include an “diversity, equity and inclusion” statement on its website.

“Diversity, Equity & Inc lusion (DEI) encompasses the symbiotic relationship, philosophy and culture of acknowledging, embracing, supporting, and accepting those of all racial, sexual, gender, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, among other differentiators.”

Board Chair Carmen Lone asked Sylvester to develop a more formal request by including proposed wording for the statement, which officials could consider at their next meeting. “Tonight, we’re not prepared to draft a statement or discuss it,” Lone said.

Sylvester also proposed that the town fly the DEI flag in June, which is Pride Month.

Town Manager Bob Peabody said the town has no formal existing policy regarding flags flown on poles at the municipal complex.

“In my eight years, we haven’t done that at the town office,” he said. Officials decided to discuss both requests at their May 12 meeting. They asked Sylvester to submit the inclusion statement by May 3. Fixing the damage.

When a town plow truck traveled too close to a soft shoulder on Holden Hills Road and tipped, damage caused to the roadway as the vehicle was pulled out has since “creeped” into Libby Graffam’s driveway.

Showing pictures of the driveway damage to the Select Board, Graffam requested that the town fix it.

While paving is slated for Holden Hills Road next summer, officials asked Public Services Director David Madsen to make the repairs this summer. The work will coincide with other paving being done in North Bridgton.

Discussion then broadened regarding plowing.

In February, Graffam heard a person yelling at the plow truck operator, “this has got to stop.” Graffam later spoke with the neighbor, who said the plow truck failed to clear the roadway close to her driveway.

When Graffam contacted the town on behalf of the neighbor and raised the question, she later noticed plowing had stopped near her home.

“It appeared we might have been plowing more road than we were supposed to,” Lone said.

At issue is part of Holden Hills Road is a private road — with maintenance and plowing the responsibility of property owners belonging to that Association.

However, in 1974 at the annual town meeting, voters agreed to maintain and plow 650-feet of Holden Hills Road from where it starts off Kimball Road. Madsen said the town truck will “plow straight in,” then “back to left left and pull straight out.” When large piles of snow