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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 146, No. 24
32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
June 11, 2015
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Recount on; winner is....
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer The “Save Our Old Town Hall” movement carried the day Tuesday in Bridgton, as did funding for the Lakes Region Bus, but voters soundly rejected a third question seeking to prevent changes to existing sewer system allocations. Newcomer Greg Watkins was the biggest-winning candidate, earning one of two seats on the Board of Selectmen with 476 votes — 113 votes more than 25-year veteran Selectman Bob McHatton Sr. The other political newcomer, Robert Murphy, was only two votes shy of McHatton’s tally, however, and requested a recount early Wednesday morning. “It’s too narrow a margin for that many votes,” Murphy said. Town Clerk Laurie Chadbourne and other staff began the recount at 1 p.m., but by the time The News went to press at 3 p.m., a winner had not been determined. Check www.bridgton.com for the final tally. Despite not having his name on the ballot, incumbent Doug Taft made a respectable showing with 198 votes, coming in last in the four-man race. Taft did not return papers but reconsidered after being approached by Selectman Chairman Bernie King. The biggest draw to the polls, however, weren’t local elections, which were all uncontested other than the selectman’s race. All three citizen petition referendum questions were hotly-debated, and with the strong showing of support on both sides, the outcome for some was hard to predict. Voters followed the recommendations made by Selectmen not to delay spending funds to repair the Town Hall, and to deep-six an effort on the part of some Main Street property owners to forestall any changes in the way the downtown sewer system is managed. But voters parted ways with the 3–2 board majority recommendation against funding the Lakes Region Bus. The 460 ‘yes’ 370 ‘no’ vote total was in no small way the result of an aggressive public education effort on the part of supporters of the Portland-to-Bridgton commuter bus service by Regional Transportation Services. The weekday service is now certain to start next month, thanks to the required voter support it has received in all five towns along its route. Voters also passed amendments to five ordinances as drafted by the Planning Board. Preliminary results as RESULTS, Page 8A
Polls: Winslow, Belanger winners
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer HARRISON — Archille “Archie” Belanger came in second in the four-way race for Harrison Selectman, winning a seat on the board along with top vote-getter Bill Winslow, the current chairman. Belanger’s 158-vote count was only 11 votes fewer than the 169 received by Winslow, who has led the board with a voice of moderation for six straight years. Missing out on their bid to serve was Amelda Arris, with 129 votes, and Richard Maynard, a relative newcomer to town, who received 114 votes. Both Belanger and Arris are political newcomers to Harrison, who have said they believe more transparency is needed in explaining town policies and decisions to the public. Other local Harrison races were uncontested and won by incumbents. James Dayton won another term on the Planning Board with 230 votes; Robert McBride was reelected with 249 votes to the Appeals Board, and Albert Lisowski earned 239 votes for his seat on the SAD 17 Board of Directors. The SAD 17 School Budget was also passed by a vote of 184–118.
Budget over tax levy limit
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The majority of residents at the Naples Town Meeting passed the budget for the 2015–16 fiscal year. However, using the written ballot and ballot box-style voting, residents said, ‘No,’ to going above the state-set tax levy limit. Warrant Article 64, the property tax levy limit, failed 43–28, according to Town Clerk Judy Whynot. Technically, the residents who attended the Town Meeting on June 1 should have been required to stay at the Town Hall until the ballot counting had taken place. But, that did not happen. Now, a Special Town meeting must be scheduled this summer to wrap up unfinished business. “I don’t know why everyone left. Maybe, they were tired after a three-hour meeting. Maybe, we didn’t explain it well enough,” Naples Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak said. “Voters voted ‘no.’ So, we either have to vote again, or reduce the budget,” he said. “Typically, this is accomplished by a motion to reconsider one or more of the just approved appropriation articles, but the voters had left the building before the vote on Article 64 was declared — it was not possible to do this,” Paraschak LEVY LIMIT, Page 8A
MONTHS OF HARD WORK AND PROMISE went up in smoke last week when an early morning fire destroyed the Vivo Italian Kitchen & Bar, which was slated to open within a week or two. Firefighters from Bridgton, Naples, Harrison and Fryeburg responded to the Depot Street blaze. (Photo courtesy of Dennis Moniyhan)
‘We are devastated’ Fire destroys new restaurant, but owners vow to rebuild their dream
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Oil-soaked rags left out on the deck caused a devastating fire Friday to Vivo’s Italian Kitchen and Bar, destroying the century-old building at 18 Depot Street just days before the new 30-seat bistro-style restaurant was to open. The blaze sent shock waves through town and an resulted in an immediate outpouring of offers to help the owners, James Burke and Joanie Wilson, 35-year restaurant owners from Massachusetts, who retired to Bridgton full-time in January to open their final restaurant. “All of the kitchen and bar equipment was in, the staff was hired, and we were in the home stretch,” Burke said Monday. “We are devastated. I know that’s an overused word, but now I know what that means.” The couple plans to begin immediate rebuilding, however. The building will be demolished as soon as insurance adjustors sign off on the claim, and Burke said his wife has already begun sketching out the new plans, which will be similar on the outside to the former building. Burke estimated the financial loss at around half a million dollars, but all equipment and property was insured. Harder to quantify was the months
of loving labor the couple put into every detail of the project, including laying the stones for the fireplace and painting the ceilings and walls. “My wife is an incredibly positive person,” Burke said. When the fire was raging, however, Wilson was in a state of total shock. “This isn’t even registering,” she said. Fire Chief Glen Garland said the State Fire Marshal’s Office has all but certainly determined that oil-soaked rags started the fire, which broke out at 6:01 a.m. Garland said the rags, which the couple were using to stain table tops, must have been smoldering for several hours until the heat from the evaporating stain ignited the cloth. Depot Street construction workers arriving for work called in the fire, and the response only took minutes from the nearby Central Fire Station. Bridgton’s ladder truck teamed up with the Naples ladder truck in directing a steady stream of water on the roofs of both adjacent buildings, the Depot Street Tap House on the right and an apartment building on the left. Nevertheless, Garland said the fire spread so rapidly to the Tap House that century-old sap from the wood siding began oozing out, and the outer pane of FIRE, Page 5A
WATER BLAST — Firefighters aboard two ladder trucks pumped water into the second floor of the Vivo Italian Kitchen & Bar, which was set to open within weeks. (Rivet Photo)
Stephen King gives locals first dibs By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Author Stephen King will once again demonstrate generosity at its best by offering greater Bridgton readers signed copies of his new novel, Finders Keepers, which explores obsession at its worst. King, a summer resident of Lovell, has arranged with Bridgton Books to hold the book signing at the Magic Lantern Theatre on Sunday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Advance tickets are available now at the Main Street bookstore, which is one of King’s favorite haunts when he’s in town. Bridgton Books co-owner Justin Ward said King is waiting to announce the event on his website in the hope that more local people will get a chance to attend the book signing before the 500 spots sell out. The first time a similar event was held at the Magic Lantern for his 2009 science fiction novel Under
the Dome, based on the town of Bridgton, the tickets sold out in a day and a half, said Ward. “Mr. King has strong ties
to our area,” Ward said. “He came into the store recently and just offered to do it.” King has held several book SIGNING, Page 2A
The Bridgton News Established 1870
P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Bridgton, ME 04009 207-647-2851 Fax: 207-647-5001 bnews@roadrunner.com