Down to earth
Pulling out a win
Gardeners take part in volunteer work day at Naples Community Garden
Inside News Calendar . . . . . 12A-13A
Lake Region captures first boys’ lacrosse win; recaps on the week in sports
Page 1B
Classifieds . . . . 10B-11B Country Living . . . 3B-6B Directory . . . . . . . . . 12B
Page 7B
Obituaries . . . . 11A-12A Opinions . . . . . . 7A-10A Police/Court . . . . . . . . . . Sports . . . . . . . . 7B-14B Student News . 13B-14B Games . . . . . . . . . . . 11B Weather . . . . . . . . . . 11B
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 145, No. 19
28 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
May 8, 2014
www.bridgton.com
(USPS 065-020)
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
In-depth study planned for BFD By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Bridgton Selectmen are considering hiring an expert consultant to study the current status of all aspects of the Bridgton Fire Department, from top to bottom. Requests for proposals were due April 30 for the development of a Fire Department Review and Strategies Report, and selectmen have met twice in executive session to discuss the study, as well as a second proposal to require annual fitness testing of firefighters. Nothing has been decided or discussed yet in open session. Both proposals were listed on the board’s April 22 agenda for dis-
cussion, but Chairman Doug Taft asked for an executive session, saying that personnel issues were involved. The board is expected to award the bid for the review and strategies report in early May, according to the RFP. The RFP states that the report will provide “specific strategies and recommendations that would guide the selectboard and the fire chief in assuring that the fire protection and suppression services continue to meet the growing needs of the community.” Bridgton Fire Chief Glen Garland said the need for an indepth study became evident during budget talks this spring, when
Budget Committee members questioned the need for some equipment requests as well as the wisdom of adding more space to the West Bridgton Station. “From that, we said that maybe we should have a study done to see what we should have, and what stations are needed, and what equipment is needed at each,” Garland said. He said he met with Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz early on to discuss how in-depth the study needed to be. Garland said he hasn’t been involved with the executive sessions, saying, “I don’t know how far they’ve gone with this.” The RFP requires that fire depart-
ment industry standards be used to evaluate the existing Incident Command Structure, which was restructured last summer by eliminating the position of assistant fire chief. The 50-member department currently musters an average of eight members per fire call, and selectmen want to know how efficient the current call system of firefighting is in relation to the number, types and timing of fire calls. They also want to know whether there are other demands being placed on the department that may impact its effectiveness. The study will review the fire exposures in the town now, “and what might be expected for the
Former chief takes high road, endorses Potvin
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer FRYEBURG — Phil Weymouth took the high road when a TV news reporter showed up at his home last week to ask him to explain why he resigned as Fryeburg’s Police Chief. He’d been unreachable by reporters via phone for 11 days, when Town Manager Sharon Jackson placed him on paid administrative leave. “After 31 years with law enforcement, I’m ready to retire,” Weymouth told WGME-13 reporter Lexie O’Connor on April 30. He didn’t offer any comment on why he was suspended, saying only that he was placed on administrative leave April 17 and then resigned April 28 as part of his plans for retirement. Instead of the past, he focused on the future. Weymouth said Fryeburg Police Detective Sergeant Joshua Potvin should be the new permanent police chief. Jackson appointed Potvin as Acting Chief the same day she put Weymouth on leave. She has decided to do “a complete search” for a new police chief by advertising over the next month in several publications. The applications will be reviewed and narrowed down by Jackson with the help of one selectman and Finance Director Sharon Gendreau, who FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE Phil Weymouth supoversees human resources. Selectmen were expected to meet tonight, May 8, to ports Detective Sergeant Joshua Potvin as his successor. (File photo) choose which of them will assist Jackson in the search. Jackson emphasized that she will be the one to make the final resignation. decision. “All employees are hired by the town manager,” “(Potvin) has proven himself as a leader under my comshe said. mand, and I am fully confident in his ability to effectively Weymouth, who had 25 years in law enforcement when manage a police agency through modern and progressive he became Fryeburg’s chief six years ago, endorsed Potvin to succeed him in the town’s official announcement of his CHIEF, Page 14A
Naples preps for manager change By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The countdown is little more than a month until the current Naples town manager resigns. In addition to selecting someone to step into the position before mid-June, the Naples Board of Selectmen is reviewing the proposed municipal budget prior to Town Meeting on June 4. On Monday, the board met in executive session to look over some of the resume packages that had been submitted. That process took about an hour. According to Town Manager Derik Goodine, the town received resumes from a total of six applicants.
Those were due no later than Monday at 4 p.m., he said. Board Chairman Dana Watson said that the selectmen would have a better idea of who to contact for interviews after meeting again midweek. Another item that the board views as time sensitive is revamping the Town Public Beach toward the Kent’s Landing side. Items to be relocated in the green-space include the War Veterans’ Memorial, playground equipment that was purchased by the town, and the cupola that once adorned one of the four corners of the Naples Hotel. Selectman Bob Caron II expressed some frustration that these projects have been
on the town’s to-do list since last spring. He said that the ground will have to be graded and leveled before the Veterans’ Memorial can be moved to that space. Caron asked to see a sketch of how everything would fit on the town property. Selectman John Adams, who was not present at Monday’s meeting, had — with the assistance of resident Joanna Moore — acquired a grant to move the memorial. Goodine said he has budgeted for the relocation of the playground equipment. “There is money in the Kent’s Landing fund — about $500 or $600 to put in the playground equipment,”
Goodine said. He said the equipment will have to adhere to safety standards. During a previous meeting, he liked the idea of having the swing set and slide closer to the water so that toddlers can be entertained while older siblings take swimming lessons. Goodine has also allocated money in the budget for the town to continue the process of securing a site for a possible public well. The money would pay for the testing of wells around the proposed property. He said a town-owned parcel near Sebago Lake was a good choice because the conservation easements are already in place.
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — For 30 years, Cal Wilson has owned a 45acre parcel once known as the Tenney Hill farm. Wilson said he would have reconsidered the real estate purchase if he had known about contamination from the Portland-Bangor Waste Oil collection facility that had been located one-quarter mile from his property. When he heard that the Town of Casco was poised to receive $500,000 as a settlement for the irreparable groundwater pollution from the facility, Wilson decided
the public meeting was worth attending. He was joined by two neighbors who own the lots abutting his land. Casco resident Steve Russo, who lives on Tenney Hill Road said, “My concern is you get all this money, and take the money and slice it up before getting all the information.” Casco Board of Selectman Chairman Mary-Vienessa Fernandes said that is exactly why town officials and stakeholders (residents) are putting together a plan of how the money could be allocated. She stressed that the funding, known as the Groundwater
Protection Program, could be stretched out over a number of years. In fact, representatives from Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District, a nonprofit agency, estimate that the program could operate on an annual budget of $50,000, with $100,000 being spent on more comprehensive projects once they are approved. Additionally, the Town of Casco plans to set aside some of the funding, investing it in a way that the money would accrue interest and be used for future projects, Fernandes said. Almost a dozen residents
were present at the public in-put meeting hosted by the town and the CCSWCD. The meeting, which combined sharing research and inviting a collective brainstorm of projects to protect groundwater, was held at the Casco Community Center. The property owners on Tenney Hill Road pushed for testing of their residential wells — something they were concerned had not been thoroughly done when the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) discovered the underground plume of waste oil had travelled downWELL, Page A
Well water a Tenney Hill worry?
future based upon growth trends.” The study will also evaluate the efficiency of the department’s deployment strategies, organizational policies, practices, mutual aid agreements and training regime, and how these might change in the future. Garland said he expects the study will also address the question of whether it’s time for Bridgton to have a paid, professional fire department. “That would have to be part of the discussion,” he said. In 2005–2006, Garland said the town did a “very limited study” on equipment needs that led to the purchase of the town’s ladder truck. STUDY, Page 14A
SAD 61 budget passes first test
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer The proposed $28.5 million SAD 61 budget cleared its first hurdle Monday night as 64 voters acted upon 21 articles at Lake Region High School. There was very little discussion regarding the budget that rose 2.3% over last year. The lone change occurred early in evening when resident Trevor Tidd requested that $10,000 be added to Article 5 (other instruction, which includes cocurricular and extracurricular activities and summer school). Tidd asked that the funds be directed to the high school and middle school boys’ and girls’ lacrosse programs, which at this time are “pay-
to-play” sports. Other high school sports programs that charge student-athletes to play include volleyball, ice hockey and lacrosse. Because of tight budgets and wanting to sufficiently fund existing athletic programs, the school board approved requests to offer the three new sports with the stipulation that either students “pay-to-play” to cover expenses, such as uniforms, equipment, officials and busing or rely on outside fundraising. At times, Lake Region High School administration has had a difficult time collecting the fees. At the spring sports meeting, Athletic Director Paul True reminded ice hockey players SAD 61, Page 14A
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Bridgton’s tax rate will increase by around 70 cents under the proposed combined budget for the 2014–2015 fiscal year, Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said at the selectmen’s April 22 meeting. Selectmen approved a net operating budget for municipal services of $6,465,240 that will be reduced by revenues of $1,983,846, leaving a $4,365,000 net commitment to be raised by taxpayers at the June 10 Town Meeting. Last year’s town budget was just over $4.1 million, or $249,152 less than this year’s proposal. Berkowitz said the overall proposed budget
is $13,801,178, when the town’s share of both the SAD 61 School District’s and Cumberland County Government’s budgets is added in. The overall budget proposal is up by $265,698 over last year. He said the full tax rate reflects a $125,000 offset from the surplus account and an estimated town-wide valuation of $994 million. The tax rate will increase from $13.52 last year to around $14.20, of which $9.16 comes from the school budget. Municipal spending accounts for $4.38 of the tax rate, 64 cents comes from the county budget and six cents from a proposed $60,000 overlay.
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — If the proposed municipal budget is passed, Naples residents will likely see their tax rate go up 10 cents to cover the cost of operating the town. Naples Town Manager Derik Goodine presented the proposed 2014–15 budget to the Naples Board of Selectmen on Monday. He also estimated the tax rate hike for both the town
budget and proposed budget of School Administrative District (SAD) 61. Goodine recommended an increase of 40 cents, tacked onto the current mil rate of $13. The tax rate increase would not be official until September, he said. Also, the amount of the increase is reliant on passage of both the school and the town budgets. The entire town budget NAPLES, Page A
Local taxes up by 70 cents
Naples projects 40 cent hike
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