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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 147, No. 21
32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
May 26, 2016
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Downtown gateway?
Traffic circle ‘bookends’ get cool public reception By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Engineers tasked with redesigning Bridgton’s Main Street think that creating traffic circles at the Monument and Pondicherry Square will improve pedestrian safety and create “a signature gateway to downtown.” Others in town, however, don’t like the idea one bit. “I’ve talked to 12 different people, and no one I’ve talked to is in favor
of the roundabouts,” as the traffic circles are termed, said Selectmen Paul Hoyt at Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting. Resident Lucia Terry also said she was “not a fan” of the traffic circle concept, part of a draft streetscape design prepared by Ironwood Design Group. Town Manager Bob Peabody said that at this point, “Nothing is cast in stone,” and that a lot will depend on an upcoming
IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY — Traffic circles are envisioned for the intersections at Main Hill, shown at left, and Pondicherry Square, in the draft streetscape design for Bridgton’s Main Street prepared by Ironwood Design Group.
review of the design by the Maine Department of Transportation. Peabody plans to ask Ironwood Design Group’s Founding Principal Jeff Hyland to staff a table at the Town Hall during the Tuesday, June 14 Town Elections to gauge public opinion about the circles, as well as other aspects of the design. At Tuesday’s meeting, Hyland, a landscape architect, called the traffic circles “a great welcome mat to your community, like an exclamation mark.” He said that by having the traffic circles at both ends of the downtown, they would act “like bookends, a signature.” Hyland said the roundabouts were proposed in direct response to residents’ requests to create a design that will calm traffic and improve pedestrian safety. Residents told him the traffic pattern at the Monument on Main Hill is confusing, and that traffic coming through the intersection from the west tends to be traveling too fast. At Pondicherry Square, a GRADUATION SEASON IS UPON US — Fryeburg Academy seniors Kaitlin traffic circle would eliminate Robinson, Jeannette White and Emmalena Stanhope pose following baccalaureate last weekend. Commencement is this Sunday. (Photo by Lakyn Osgood/FA) TRAFFIC, Page 3A
Several bonds proposed in Casco town budget By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Several bonds are being proposed at the Casco Town Meeting next month. If passed, those bonds would impact the tax rate slightly, ranging from 20 or 30 cents to about 47 cents. On the other hand, if the bonds are approved, the town would be able to afford major road repairs, the replacement
of the Pleasant Lake-Parker Pond dam, and the purchase of land behind the town hall. The voting public will be offered a few different options to take care of the town’s infrastructure needs. “Other towns have done this. We have watched it. We are not breaking new ground here,” Casco Town Manager Dave Morton said regarding the infrastructure bond. The land buy is being
proposed as a separate bond from the roads and dam bond. All of the proposed bonds have a payment schedule, or term, of ten years. On Tuesday, the Casco Board of Selectmen signed the Warrant Articles for the proposed 2016-17 budget. Copies of the Warrant Articles will be available as a Portable Document Format (PDF) on the town’s website. Also, hard copies can be
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Next question, please. The joint boards of the Casco and Otisfield selectmen will hold a question-andanswer session with T-Buck Construction, the lowest bidder for the replacement
of the Pleasant Lake-Parker Pond dam. That is according to Casco Town Manager Dave Morton, who provided an update of the long dam saga during the Casco Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday. T-Buck Construction, owned by Terry Buck, is
based in Auburn and has other offices in Maine. His bid price was about $422,000. The interview will be conducted on Tuesday, May 31, at 7 p.m., at the Casco Community Center. Staff members are arranging for Lake Region Television (LRTV) to videotape the special meeting. Last week, the town received three bids for the replacement of the failing dam. The two other bidders were CMP Constructors and SumCo Eco-Contracting LLC, according to the Casco town office. Eleven companies purchased a bid package; and three bids were submitted by the deadline. The dam is located next to the former Hancock Lumber Office off Route 121, also known as Meadow Road. From the dam, Pleasant Lake can be seen. On Monday, the Otisfield and Casco boards of selectmen reviewed the bids for the proposed construction project. “T-Buck Construction was the low bidder, and determined to be a qualified bidder. Members agreed they would like to sit down and interview T-Buck Construction,” Morton said. “There are 10 or 11 questions they would BIDDER, Page 8A
obtained at the Town Office. Included in the budget package is a graph, showing how much each proposed bond would increase the tax
rate, and how much it would increase the property tax bill based on a home valued at $150,000. The Casco Town Meeting
is scheduled for Wednesday, June 15. The meeting starts at 7 p.m., and will be held in the Casco Fire Station. BUDGET, Page 3A
Boards to question low bidder on pond dam
An unwelcome dash of pepper By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer A Bridgton man faces charges of assault and disorderly conduct after attacking a man with pepper spray inside Hannaford supermarket Sunday in a dispute over a shopping cart. Around 10-12 people were treated for exposure to the spray, and the store had to be partially-evacuated. Albert Coupe, 74, of 405 Sweden Road, fled the supermarket after the 10:46 a.m. assault and was later arrested by Police Officer Mac McCormick after witnesses provided a description and plate number of his vehicle, Police Chief Richard Stillman said. Stillman said the incident began after Coupe left his shopping carriage in the parking lot without returning it to the cart corral. Another shopper scolded him and the two got into a verbal argument, which seemed to end peacefully, he said. “However, Mr. Coupe followed the other shopper into the store, where he pepper sprayed him and then quickly fled the scene,” said Stillman. A number of people complained of exposure to the pepper spray and were checked out by United Ambulance. Hannaford’s had to be partially-evacuated until the Bridgton Fire Department was able to vent the front end of the store.
CHECKED OUT — Several area residents checked out the Caswell Conservancy Center during last Sunday’s open house and fundraiser. The old stone library on Main Street in Harrison is taking on a new direction.
New direction set for historic Caswell building HARRISON — Many months of planning culminated in an eventful and wellattended open house/fundraiser for the new Caswell Conservancy Center, located in the old stone library building at 42 Main Street, in Harrison. The first event, held on Sunday, May 22, was scheduled to primarily inform residents of Harrison and the Lake Region how the building will be used and to help raise the necessary funds to make it happen. Guest speaker, former
State Representative Rick Sykes, gave the interesting history of the historical building that is listed on the National Historical Register, State of Maine and talked about the mission statement
of the Center — conserving Maine’s families through education, entertainment and empowerment. He detailed the challenges and differences of families today comCASWELL, Page 3A
The Bridgton News Established 1870
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