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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 146, No. 21
32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
May 21, 2015
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Citizen petitions aired at public hearings
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Be it a money pit or a town treasure, the Town Hall perennially evokes strong emotions in Bridgton, and this year the emotions are running very high indeed. Last week’s official public hearing on the issue proved a case in point, as Bridgton Selectmen sparred with Dave Crowell over whether the stabilization project should go forward as planned. Crowell and others, who signed a citizen petition authorizing Question 2 on the June 9 referendum, want to know all the costs to repair the historic North High Street
building before spending any money. Selectmen say voters have already clearly spoken in favor of the planned $400,000 Phase I repairs. Bids are due May 28, with a contract signing on June 2, but a “no” vote on June 9 will leave it dead in the water, at least until another vote is taken to okay the total cost of repairs. Crowell said the board’s plan for “stabilizing the building sounds like it’s just to keep it from falling into the ground.” Not so, said Selectman Paul Hoyt, who clarified that the $400,000 is for the most pressing and basic repairs,
mostly related to water intrusion that has damaged the hall. Another $300,000 figure given by engineers is for alternate spending, said Hoyt, such as granite steps and a new roof. “So, we do know” what the costs are, for both the work approved by voters at last year’s Town Meeting, and a future wish list of exterior work, said Holt. It’s inside the building where the costs aren’t yet known, he said, but the board hasn’t yet asked the voters if they want to put money into that. Selectman Bob McHatton added that, “As far as the final number, we’re working
on it — and that total would be spread out over 10 years or so.” Their words didn’t convince Crowell, who said he’s “shocked” that selectmen aren’t, at the same time, seeking to know what it would cost to replace the building with a structure that would better serve the needs of recreational programs in town. Question 3, granting grandfather status to all residents and businesses on the town’s downtown sewer system from any changes in their current allocations caused by future amendments to the sewer ordinance, drew almost as much debate as the
third citizen petition referendum to fund the Lake Region Bus Service. Glen “Bear” Zaidman, a member of the Wastewater Committee, tried to explain how a “yes” vote to Question 3 would cripple future development of the downtown. Town Manager Bob Peabody summed up the selectmen’s stance most succinctly, saying Question 3 “doesn’t allow us to manage the system. Everything stays status quo.” Amendments to the sewer ordinance are needed to reflect today’s needs of the sewer system and leachfields that, in terms of allocation,
are essentially maxed out, Zaidman said. Such changes, he said, “won’t take anything away from an existing business” but would allow the town to better manage the system. He added that the Wastewater Committee, which he has chaired, has been working diligently on the changes and planning for future development of an expanded system for a long time. Discussion also took place on several ordinance amendments drawn up by the Planning Board, and more on this issue will be in next week’s paper.
Budget Committee gives thumbs down on bus funds
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — During a recent Naples Budget Committee meeting, members voted to not recommend funding the regional bus service that links Naples to Portland. The primary reason for voting in this manner is because the Regional Transportation Program bus that serves the region has an average of one person a day from Naples using that mode of transportation. “The problem is that ridership is low,” Naples Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak said, citing the budget committee’s reasoning. The 18-passenger bus makes trips to Portland Monday through Friday, and does not run on the weekend. Currently, and for the past 18 months, the American Legion Parking Lot in Naples has been the hub for the bus. RTP has asked five towns for $9,600 each to make up for a budget shortfall in the upcoming year’s operational costs. During the regular meeting of the Naples Board of Selectmen, the board reviewed the draft of the proposed budget and warrant articles. At that point, on Monday, the budget committee had yet to vote on other outside agencies seeking funding from the town. The
committee had voted unanimously to not recommend allocating money for the regional bus service, according to Paraschak. Still, residents at Town Meeting will have a chance to weigh the pros and cons, and decide whether or not to back the bus service financially. The Naples selectmen determined it was best to let the voters’ voices be heard, rather than their own. The board voted to not provide a recommendation either way. Briefly, Selectman Rick Paraschak pushed for a board vote on the matter. Selectmen Bob Caron II and Kevin Rogers disagreed with making a recommendation, and letting the taxpayers decide. “I think we should see what the public thinks,” Rogers said. “It has only been going one year. Not anything is ‘up and running’ in a year. It seems too new to shoot out of the water yet,” he said. Rogers advocated for getting more information about the regional bus service. It was not clear if the town would invite an RTP representative to the Town Meeting to answer the public’s questions. The board voted to have the bus service article separate from other outside agencies, which would allow residents to discuss it prior to making a decision.
Harrison Town Manager George “Bud” Finch (left) listens as Selectman Richard Sykes (top) outlined his concerns at the May 14 meeting.
On his way out, Sykes cites litany of concerns
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer HARRISON — With only a few weeks to go before stepping down, Harrison Selectman Rick Sykes laid out a long list of concerns on May 14 about how town business has been conducted during his one-year stint on the board. Sykes spent nearly an hour questioning the actions of both selectmen and Town Manager George “Bud” Finch over their management of a wide range of issues, most of them related to town spending. Perhaps his most serious complaint was that Finch had not given the board a copy of the management letter that accompanied an audit report completed last August. Sykes said that when he obtained a copy of the letter on his own, it listed eight “significant” deficiencies in internal fiscal control of town spending, along with one
“material weakness” that he characterized as a “very serious” problem needing to be corrected. Other concerns brought up by Sykes included: • Delays in completion of a study of operations at the transfer station being overseen by Finch with help from a paid consultant; • Lack of a town policy on when projects have to be put out to bid; • Money spent to remodel the town offices that had not been approved by voters; • A practice of transferring money from one account to another to cover overdrafts; • Whether a per diem clerk is needed at the town office. Regarding the omission of the management letter accompanying the audit report, Finch apologized and said “I take full responsibility” for not getting it to the board. He said, however, that the auditors will be at the
board’s May 28 meeting to present their findings. The major deficiency, he added, had to do with implementing a purchasing policy. Sykes said after the audit was completed in August 2014, he asked for, and received a copy of the document in February of this year, but it did not contain the management letter, which he said is a “critical document” needed in order for the board to make decisions on procedural changes. The letter cited the need for separate accounting of cash transactions, better management of bulk fuel purchases and other concerns. “Why weren’t we a participant in reviewing that?” asked Sykes. “I’m disappointed the town manager didn’t present this for our review.” Finch said the town corrects any audit deficiencies as they are brought up. “The audit firm will always find CONCERNS, Page 8A
Bathhouse built in 8 days
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer If only other town-owned buildings could be erected this easily — and cheaply. The new 8’x20’ bathhouse at the parking lot at Highland THE BOAT LAUNCH at the Town Beach is reserved for Naples taxpayers. However, if Lake Beach is finished, even passed at the Town Meeting, the use could be offered to nonresidents for a fee. down to the landscaping (De Busk Photo) surrounding it. The project,
Launch fee shouldn’t cause waves
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Last summer, out-of-towners and outof-staters were turned away from the Naples Town Beach boat launch. However, it is possible that some people not owning property in Naples, or staying with Naples friends, launched their boats while the area was not being manned. “An informal survey of boat launches at Kent’s Landing in August revealed that over half of the 300
launches were nonresidents and nontaxpayers. Nonresidents and nontaxpayers were only turned away when a town employee was present and were typically given a warning for use of the boat launch the first time,” Naples Town Manager Eprhem Paraschak said. Unlike the public dock extending from the Causeway, the Town Beach and Kent’s Landing is for Naples residents only. A town ordinance supports that. Use of the boat launch,
too, is reserved for property taxpayers. This summer, a new policy could be in place that would allow boaters who are not residents of Naples to launch into Long Lake from the Town Beach. And, like so many things in life, the use of the boat launch won’t be free. A proposed boat launch user’s fee would provide the town with a source of revenue to offset the maintenance of the docks and other facilities at the Town Beach,
Paraschak said. Whether or not that happens will be up to residents at the Naples Town Meeting on Monday, June 1. The annual meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Town Gymnasium. The language of the warrant article would allow the Naples Board of Selectmen to decide what dates are best to extend use of the boat launch to nonresidents, and subsequently bring in revenue for the recreational area. On the other side of the LAUNCH, Page 8A
taken on by local contractors under the supervision by Criterion Development, cost $36,000, which is significantly less than the $68,000 that the town had originally budgeted for the work. Criterion partner Mark Lopez said the ultimate credit has to go to Town Manager Bob Peabody, who took one look at the bathhouse after becoming town manager and made its replacement a priority. “He said this is not acceptable — he put it on his hit list from day one,” Lopez said. Credit also is due to Glen “Bear” Zaidman, who
took the initiative to compile local costs after the town put forward an initial $85,000 estimate for the project using funding from the Community Development Block Grant Program. “He said this is crazy,” to spend so much for a men’s and a ladies room at the beach, said Lopez, a developer, who followed up on Zaidman’s work by offering to act as general contractor. “All I had to do was coordinate cooperative and qualified local contractors” who took charge of the demolition and replacement construc8 DAYS, Page 8A
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