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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 148, No. 30
32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
July 27, 2017
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Housing considered for Salmon Point manager
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer When Bridgton has needed to hire someone to manage Salmon Point Campground for the season, it has been “challenging” due to the lack of housing. Current manager Bob Morse had his own RV to park at the town-owned campground on Long Lake. If Bridgton requires the manager to be on-site, Town Manager Bob Peabody suggests that the town provide housing. He recommended to selectmen Tuesday night to either consider buying a “used” RV unit or build a small structure that could serve as an office and housing space for the campground manager. Deputy Town Manager Georgiann Fleck researched the options and reported her findings to selectmen: • Log cabin construction would be $60 to $65 per square foot, ultimately costing
STRONG FAMILY TIES has been a big part of the success enjoyed by Macdonald Motors in Bridgton, which last year celebrated its 70th anniversary, behind the guidance of brothers Robert (second from left) and Dan. Their children —Mary and Bill — both returned home to join the family business, which has dealerships in North Conway, N.H. and Bridgton. (Photo by Ken Murphy)
One on One with...
Dan Macdonald
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Ever since the first time Dan Macdonald dangled the keys to a new car and handed them over to an anxious buyer, America’s love affair with automobiles has never seemed to wane. “It’s people’s independence. Their ability to say, ‘Here I am. I have arrived.’ It’s a success symbol,” said Macdonald inside his busy showroom office at Macdonald Motors in Bridgton. “Some people come in and don’t care. They simply want something to get them from Point A to Point B. But for most people, they come in looking for something that really fits their personality and they get excited about.” In the United States, about 17 million new cars are sold each year. “That’s an awful lot of product. One out of five (or six) jobs in the United States have a connection to the automobile industry. That’s a powerful statement,” Macdonald said. “People appreciate buying something that is American-made, but it has to be price competitive. It’s difficult, especially when in some foreign countries what people are paid in a day is what people in Detroit are paid per hour, plus there is no worker’s comp or health insurance.” The automobile industry has certainly evolved and undergone major changes since the first day Macdonald Motors opened, and when a former schoolteacher
figured it was time for him to turn in a piece of chalk for a sharpened pencil and join the family business. Last year, Macdonald Motors — under the direction of Dan and Robert Macdonald, along with their children, Bill and Mary — celebrated its 70th anniversary. The News spoke with Dan Macdonald about the growth of the local dealership, its success and challenges it has faced. “The longevity we’ve had is primarily due to the quality of people we have had working with us and I can’t over-emphasize the importance of the support of our customers. We have so many people that we truly enjoy seeing,” Macdonald said. BN. Congrats on 70 years in business! What do you feel are the main reasons the company has enjoyed such long-term success? DM. If you are going to be in any type of business that is going to last a long period of time, especially for generations, you have to have a good product that you are selling, you have to stand behind your product, you have to be fair, straightforward and honest. It’s about selling a good product at a fair price, and exceeding expectations. That’s what we try to do. I find what works well is that I have very good people who work here. The success of any business is having a good staff ONE ON ONE WITH..., Page 6A
Officials: No pause on Naples pot moratorium
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The Naples Code Enforcement Office has been getting inquiries from parties interesting in purchasing property for marijuana growing operations. A state law designed to help launch agricultural businesses could allow a potential pot-growing business to sidestep submitting a site plan review with the local planning board. A moratorium would prevent marijuana-based businesses from setting up shop wherever, and it would give the town a say-so in establishing suitable locations. On Monday, the Naples Board of Selectmen discussed how soon a marijuana moratorium could be put into
“He was an awesome preacher,” Long wrote. “And I let him preach in my absence. And, the parishioners always let me know how they liked his preaching…more.” That sentiment was shared by many who spoke: How Hancock had used the gift of a powerful, booming voice to express and share his love for God. “If any of you have never heard Tom preach, I feel sorry for you,” said Rev. Bryan Breault, who served with Hancock on the Outdoor Ministry Council at the Pilgrim Lodge summer camp. “None was as powerful as Tom’s preaching,” he said. Breault — who only weeks before had sat on a deck talking to Hancock — described evenings when Tom’s voice would echo across the lake at Pilgrim Lodge in Gardiner, as Hancock announced the activities that campers were
place and the necessary steps to do that. In the Town of Naples, a moratorium would require approval of residents at a Special Town Meeting, according to Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak. By law, other Maine municipalities with a town charter are able to establish a marijuana moratorium through a majority of votes at the city council or selectmen level, he said. And, many Maine towns have already put into place a six-month marijuana moratorium, he said. Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Renee Carter told the board that time was of the essence to get a moratorium in place. “I’ve been told by growers they need to identify the
land and buy it. They are calling around to see what towns have moratoriums,” Carter said. According to Paraschak, “It is not a concern about the product; it is a concern about the facility being plopped anywhere in the town of Naples.” Carter agreed that, as it stands, a huge producer could move into a residential area, and do so because it is considered an agricultural business, which does not require a site plan review. A moratorium “gives us some time,” Carter said. “It gives the people of Naples time to ask, ‘Where do we want this to go?’” Paraschak explained, “One of the reasons this was MORATORIUM, Page 7A
Wanted: Town Manager By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — What Naples needs from its future town manager is someone who has a background in planning. Many a town manager has transitioned from a job in planning, according to Naples Chairman Jim Grattelo. The growth — particularly in the business sector — that Naples has been experiencing necessitates someone who is skilled at preparing for future growth, he said.
Tom’s life enriched Casco, beyond By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — There was such an abundance of sunflowers placed upon the altar and the coffin that some of the stalks began to fall. The flowers were set into kinetic motion, causing one of the youngest family members to turn around and replace a few of the sunflowers that had grown on the Hancock Family Farm and now adorned the church. Thomas Milton Hancock’s celebration of life took place at the Casco Village Church United Church of Christ, where only weeks before he had presented one of many guest sermons. “I never met a microphone I didn’t like,” Hancock had said in mid-June. In a letter written by Rev. Joyce Long, but read by Rev. Marcia Charles, Long referred to Hancock as “a friend and a mentor” and she playfully praised his skills behind the pulpit.
$28,000. A stick-built structure would cost about $35 to $45 per square foot, totaling $19,400. Neither cost figures include finish, electrical, plumbing, air conditioning or furnishings. • Checking in at Lee Family Trailer in Windham, a “residence style” unit between 36 and 48 feet in length would cost between $40,000 to $65,000. • A used “park model” unit with a pitched, shingled roof and all furnishings range from $24 to $50,000. And, there are additional costs for transporting it here and setup. New models, as quoted by a company in Oxford, would cost between $40,000 to $50,000. • Or, the town could purchase a used Breckinridge model for $22,900, which includes all appliances. “It’s more like a mobile home, but the square footage and because it’s on wheels, it is considered an RV,” Morse said. “It was BRIDGTON, Page 2A
SHARING A MOMENT — Tom Hancock (right) is pictured inside a greenhouse operated by his son, Geof (on the left). part of the echo. Your voice being assigned to. “There was a little lilt resonates still,” he said. The news of Tom at the end of his laugh. You knew that he not only Hancock’s death on July entertained himself but he 13 rocked the community was also happy to share his of Casco — his hometown where he wore a wide varihumor,” Breault said. “You are now the intricate TOM, Page 3A
Someone familiar with economic development and planning would be well suited for managing the town of Naples, he said. As he viewed it, the next town hire should probably be a planner. Chairman Bob Caron II said the candidate should be financially savvy. “Whoever is chosen, in the job description” it should say the applicant is “strong with a budget,” Caron said, since the Naples town manager submits the budget that he then reviews with the budget committee months before Town Meeting. “Other, bigger towns have different committees that do that work for them,” Caron said. The Naples Board of Selectmen held a workshop on the process of hiring of a town manager prior to its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday. David A. Barrett, who is the director of Personnel Services and Labor Relations for the Maine Municipal Association, was on hand to discuss the hiring process with the selectmen. It was highly-recommended that the town start advertising the position with online job-hunting sites. The total cost for the advertising was between
$600 and $700, which includes a combination of less expensive job-search sites and a pricy but effective job-hunting forum. “What I do want to talk about is to get into the advertising piece. Most of this is done electronically. That is how people search for jobs,” Barrett said. “With a typical municipal advertising run: It goes on our website job bank. We have a deal with our Vermont colleagues to put it on their website for free. The national town manager organizations — when managers are job hunting that is where they go — that is about $450. So, about $650 to $700 total,” Barrett said. “Do put it in the local paper for citizens to see, for nothing more than so they can read it. They will know what we are looking for,” he said, adding the area newspaper will not drive up the candidate pool. “Live and Work in Maine — that website is generating interest. We can get that in starting this week,” Barrett said. The game plan was to draft and send a sample job advertisement to the selectmen for approval in a few days “and get it in this week,” he said.
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