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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870 Vol. 150, No. 25
16 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
June 24, 2021
Legal Notices . . . . . . . 2B
www.bridgton.com
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More swim at your own risk
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer As summer weather settles in, Bridgton Rec Director Gary Colello has heard the same questions asked several times: “When will lifeguards be on duty?” The answer, not as often as last year. Across the state, there is a major shortage of lifeguards. Normally, Colello has a pool of seven to shuffle between Woods Pond and Highland Lake Beach. This year, he has two. “Usually, I need four per day,” Colello told selectmen Tuesday night. In a Facebook post this week, Colello explained the current situation: “We had great guards who took their jobs seriously and kept people safe seven days a week,” Colello said. “The lifeguards were set to begin their shifts on Thursday of this week, however we were unable to find enough lifeguards to work this summer. We currently only have one full-time guard. We are still working hard at finding individuals that are certified, but it is unlikely we will be able to staff the beach with lifeguards
like we have been doing in recent years.” So, there will be days with no lifeguard on duty, leaving beachgoers to “swim at their own risk.” Colello told selectmen that some local groups will be hurt by the no lifeguard on duty situation. They will be unable to take their clients to the beach due to the lack of a lifeguard’s presence. “We recruited, advertised, and tried to fill our positions but we were unsuccessful,” said Colello, who started trying to hire lifeguards back in the winter. The problem is twofold. One, the demands to earn American Red Cross certification is costly ($300 to take the 30-hour online course) and physically LIFEGUARD, Page 2A
CONCEPT DESIGN of The Gateway, a multi-business complex to be proposed by local developer Justin McIver of Main Eco Homes in the Pondicherry Square area.
Developer to hold Q/A session
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer If local developer Justin McIver learned one lesson during the Hotel Bridgton project, it was the value of public input and involvement early in the development process. So, as the owner of Main Eco Homes and his staff prepares a detailed application for The Gateway, which will soon go before the town’s Planning Board, McIver wants to reach out to the public for an informal question and answer session. “It’s a work in progress, but I’ve already had a number of people ask questions about it,” McIver said. “So,
as a way to get out in front of it, I thought having a Q/A session might be a good way for the public to learn more about the project.” The Gateway is McIver’s proposed multi-business complex at 267-271 Main Street — the site right at the lights. The Q/A session will be held on Thursday, July 1 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Main Eco Homes office located at 175 Portland Road. The event will be catered by Elevation Sushi & Taco, a new business set to open soon at the former Towanda’s spot on Main Street. “This is a super exciting project,” McIver told
Planning Board members at their June 1 meeting as part of a pre-application conversation. “I think everyone has been waiting for this day. We’re excited to announce we will be developing the site… It’s the ‘gateway’ to the town. It’s the front door to the downtown. That’s why it’s that important of a project. It will continue to revitalize the downtown, and bring it back to what it used to be.” McIver told planners the cite will feature “mixed uses.” McIver is working with two separate architects “to pay respect to the traditional history of the building.” McIver purchased the
site from the Macdonald family, which he said “they were huge in making this happen, because they care about the community and the town….I want to thank the Macdonalds for all their help and support to make this a reality.” The project features five to six commercial units on the first floor, and five residential units on the top floor. McIver noted that the only way to make the project happen was to land a tenant that is willing to “invest and believe” in Bridgton. That tenant is Lamson Brewing, owned by Jack Lamson. He told planners that he and McIver “share the same DEVELOPER, Page 2A
Should town regulate short-term rentals?
ILLUSTRATING PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES — Lake Region High School students (from left to right) Joe England, 10th grade, Brianna Lewis, 10th grade, and Bhabnish Tucker, 9th grade, pose around the butterfly wings that the LRHS Student Council painted last fall. (De Busk Photo)
Art work encourages students ‘Be the Change’
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — A group of students transformed one plain white wall of their high school into a pair of butterfly wings. The completion of the butterfly wings spanned from last spring through this past fall. That’s because COVID-19 closed the school and delayed the painting being finished. It was one of about a halfdozen community service projects that the Lake Region High School (LRHS) Student Council took on during the school year. The butterfly wings are orange, yellow and black similar to a Monarch. The wings have space for a person to stand in-between for a photo. Above the painted wings are the words: ‘Be the change.’ A few of the teens who participated with student council commented on what ‘be the changes’ means. “I think that it means you can still change yourself for the better during the school year and not to get stuck in that negative loop of just not trying,” according to 10th grader Joe England. “[You can] put in the effort and change yourself for the better.” Tenth-grader Brianna Lewis, who hails from Casco, believes that a person can be a catalyst for other people’s transformations. “Be the change — probably being the
reason someone is changing, but in a good way,” Lewis said. Casco resident Bhabnish Tucker, a 9th grader viewed it as a worthwhile goal. “Be that positive change that you want to see in your school, in your environment. Strive toward that,” Tucker said. About 10 students were involved in the Student Council, which met every Wednesday afternoon. Other people on the student council include: Cierra Grover, Rene Carver, Samantha Donahue, Alexia Cricones, Ioanna Katsigiannis, and Grady Bragdon Clements. The majority of those students were playing sports games during the time of the interview. There were two adult sponsors for the student council, Ann Bragdon and Jess Daggett. Some of the students talked about the process of completing the painting and also how people have responded to it. “I saw mostly positive reactions to it. I heard a few people talk about it. They enjoyed the presence of it. It made the wall seem more colorful,” Tucker said. Lewis said the teachers were more verbal about their appreciation of the art work. “All the teachers liked it,” she said. “I’ve seen some students take photos with it like for the yearbook.” “A lot of the teachers who had seen us BE THE CHANGE, Page 3A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — The local selectmen are booking ahead — putting the topic of short-term rentals, sometimes known as Airbnbs, on the agenda for its July 6 meeting. Prompted by residents living along Watkins Shores Road, the Casco Board of Selectmen decided to start the conversation about whether or not the town wants to regulate short-term rentals of private properties. People brought up the discomfort of having rowdy renters in their neighborhood. At the same time, a resident brought up the importance of short-term rentals as both a source of income and a way for vacationers to enjoy what Maine has to offer. “We’ve heard two sides now and if we have it on agenda, we should research and delve into it,” according to Casco Chairman Thomas “Tom” Peaslee. “It is on an upcoming agenda,” said Vice Chair Mary-Vienessa Fernandes,
referring to agenda for the July 5 meeting. The topic of short-term rentals was discussed during Public Participation at the selectmen’s meeting on June 15. It wasn’t the first time that the problems and pluses of Airbnb had been aired by the public. Donna Murphy is a resident living off Watkins Shores Road on Thomas Pond. “Please take up the issue of short term rentals/ Airbnbs. I know that this is an issue in other communities as well, here in Casco. We have an issue on our own road,” Murphy began. “When you have a shortterm rental come into your community and it’s a home that is rented all year long, it effects the very fabric of your neighborhood,” she said. “People talk about the quality of life. Well, we all purchase our homes in certain neighborhoods and we look for comfort, safety, enjoyment. Those are things that are being threatened, if not taken away when some of these problematic short-
term rentals come into a community.” “I truly hope that you would take this up. I would be happy to be involved in any way, if you have a work committee,” Murphy said. “This is a real serious issue. I know you’ve heard it from other people as well, and I hope you will address it. We have communities — like South Portland that has created a ban on Airbnbs under certain stipulations. It has to be rented greater than 30 days or it has to be owner-occupied rental,” she said. “If you have an absent owner, particularly if you have an owner who does not take responsibility for the rentals, it can open up a can of worms,” Murphy said. Fernandes confirmed the topic was on a future agenda. “This is something that we do need to address. You are not the first person who has come in and mentioned it. It will be higher on the list,” Selectman Scott Avery said. RENTALS, Page 3A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The barn hasn’t been built yet. However, the property-owner of an 83-acre wooded parcel has a dream of how he’d like to use his land. He would like to build a barn for events like weddings and wedding anniversaries. The problem is the Town of Naples doesn’t allow this use (an events barn) in the rural district. For more than a year, Naples resident James Willworth has been trying to get his dream business off the ground. “I am seeking a land use ordinance change for an
event barn. When I say an events barn, it would be primarily for weddings. I don’t see anything other than that or an anniversary party or possibly participating in Maine Maple Sunday,” Willworth said. He appeared before the Naples Board of Selectmen on June 14, asking if the selectmen could request the
Naples Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) to hear his case. The date is Monday (June 28) when a workshop will be held on how to approach allowing a commercial use in the rural zone. The workshop will be held during the selectmen’s regular meeting at the Naples Town Hall. BARN, Page 3A
Landowner hopes events barn can be good match
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