Community front Lovell Arts & Artisans’ Fair; African drumming in Sebago; Folk duo at Denmark Arts Section B
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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 148, No. 33
32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
August 17, 2017
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 6D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Withdrawal questions raised, support voiced By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer SEBAGO — James Stevens knows firsthand the importance of keeping Sebago Elementary School. His three daughters developed a strong educational foundation attending the little school building considered the “hub” of the rural community. The girls went on to be “A” students, attended college and enjoy success in their careers.
Now retired, Stevens will do whatever it takes to keep Sebago Elementary open. “I will personally campaign to get the twothirds,” he told the audience Monday night at a public hearing regarding Sebago’s possible withdrawal from SAD 61. “I believe our community would lose its heart if we lost our school. We need an elementary school here. I am 100% in
favor of Sebago Elementary School.” About 75 people attended the informational hearing as Withdrawal Committee consultant Dr. Mark Eastman gave an overview of the process, as well as what the committee and SAD 61 officials have agreed to in regards to a withdrawal agreement. SAD 61 Chairman Janice Barter opened the hearing, and turned the presentation over to Eastman. Barter was joined at the head table by Superintendent of Schools Al Smith, along with the district’s attorney Dick Spencer, and SAD 61 administrative assistant Sarah Parsons. Several school board members were
in the audience to hear the presentation, which lasted one hour, seven minutes. Most people in attendance were older residents — few were parents of elementary-age students, which Withdrawal Committee secretary Allen Crabtree called “concerning” since it has been a trend since the group started its withdrawal work in February 2016. Eastman’s agreement walk-through touched on key points: • If Sebago withdraws, it will create its own school system and its own school committee (likely a fivemember board). “You will be your own boss of your own school system as of
July 1, 2018,” he said. • Sebago has signed on with SAD 61 as its “school of guaranteed acceptance,” a mandate from the state that the town enter an agreement with another school system to enroll students in Grades 7–12. The Withdrawal Committee looked into several options, and decided to reach out to SAD 61. Sebago would pay tuition to SAD 61 to send students to Lake Region Middle and High Schools, at the state’s tuition rate (presently, $9,500). Sebago’s school committee would decide whether to move Grade 6 back to SES, as well as whether to start a Pre-K program. Another component is
school choice for Grades 7–12. For the first five years of the 10-year pact, Sebago can offer school choice to 20% of its Grade 7–12 population, meaning about 20 students could opt to attend middle or high school elsewhere. The percentage increases to 25% over the final five years. Sebago’s school committee would address how those available slots are awarded. • If SAD 61 enters into construction projects at the middle or high schools, there would be a 10% surcharge to Sebago’s tuition rate. • Sebago would honor existing negotiated contracts of teachers and other SEBAGO, Page 7A
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer HARRISON — Matt Frank questions whether Harrison is getting its money’s worth as a member of SAD 17. The school system received a “C’ grade from the state, yet Harrison pays a premium price for local students’ education as a top-taxed town in the district. Harrison is at the top of the taxation list, but near the bottom for representation on the school board. Chairman of Harrison’s Board of Selectmen Frank pointed out that the positions of power — chairman, vice chairman and leader of the budget committee — are all from the “big towns” — Oxford, Norway and South
Paris — in SAD 17. Frank wonders if Harrison can do better? “We’re paying 18 to 20% of the bill at SAD 17,” he said. “We should have a fair amount of ownership.” Selectmen Tuesday night concurred. The board will create an “educational analysis committee.” The committee will include two selectmen — Rick Sykes and Frank each volunteered to serve — along with a school board member and four volunteers from the public. Initially, Selectman Bill Winslow suggested the committee consist of five members, feeling too large a group would likely be counterproductive. Sykes felt the public
figure should be moved to four as insurance, in case someone is absent. Selectman Ray Laplante encouraged the board to develop a specific charge for the committee. Sykes agreed and volunteered to draft the charge, and bring it back to the board for approval. Officials also plan to reach out to neighboring Waterford and Otisfield to be included in the conversation, since both towns face the same predicament. In other selectmen’s meeting news: Mill rate dips. Some good news for local taxpayers came Tuesday night when selectmen set the mill rate at $10.65 per thousand valuation, which is
30 cents less than this past fiscal year. Assessor’s Agent John Wentworth initially recommended $10.55, but the board sided with Town Manager’s Bud Finch’s suggestion of $10.65. Finch’s rationale (presented by Town Clerk Melissa St. John in the manager’s absence) is that the rate relief will likely be just for one year since the expectation is the school tax will increase. So, taxpayers will catch a discount, and if the rate rises as expected, the hike won’t be so steep, St. John said. Fall fixup. The local Lions Club would like to “spruce up” Crystal Lake Park by bringing HARRISON, Page 2A
Harrison to study ed options
STORY ABOUT DIVERSITY — Emily Coye of Casco has seen brisk sales of her first children’s book, “Thumbs Up For All.”
One on One with...
Emily Coye By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Emily Coye is living a very diverse life. By day, she works as a nutrition educator at Healthy Androscoggin in Lewiston. “I teach people how to shop, cook and eat healthy on a budget through group classes in Androscoggin County,” the Naples native said. By night, she works as a bartender and server at the Deckhouse in Windham. When she isn’t traveling and spending time on her boat with her fiancé, Justin, Emily is fully-immersed in her newest venture — children’s book author. She recently spent a Sunday afternoon on the Causeway as part of Naples for the Arts, signing fresh copies of her book entitled, Thumbs Up For All! and talking with interested folks about her venture as a budding writer and business owner — Emily Coye Books. “I work on ways to promote my new book, fulfill orders, package them up, and ship them out! I am quite busy, but enjoy all that I do and look forward to what each diverse aspect of my life has to offer,” said Emily, who now resides in Casco. The News checked in with the Lake Region High School grad about the challenges of breaking into the literary field, as well as what lies ahead in her future as a writer. BN. What inspired you to write a book? Emily: Honestly, I never had any intention on writing and publishing a book. I have always been creative and spent much of my childhood making up silly songs, rhymes, and stories, but being an author never crossed my mind. One day, about six years ago now, I caught a lobster at Pine Point with my dad when we each had five recreational lobster traps on our boat, the Mary Agnes. This EMILY, Page 8A
Road plowing stirs residents’ ire
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Residents drove from all directions to attend Tuesday night’s meeting on the plowing of private roads. The Casco Community Center’s large meeting room was filled to capacity, with many people standing and unable to move through the crowd to get to the microphone during the hour-long discussion. Prior to the start of the meeting, Casco Town Manager Dave Morton asked that the noisy air conditioning unit be shut off so people could hear what was being said. It did not take long for the jam-packed room to warm up on an already muggy evening. Despite the rising temperature, for the most part, the residents who were present A FULL HOUSE — for road plowing issue. Residents attend a Casco Board of were cordial and there were Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, during which time the continued wintertime mainteonly a few heated exchanges. nance of private roads was on the agenda. (De Busk Photo) PLOWING, Page 3A
Group pleased with the dam on Pleasant Lake
DELIGHTED DAM IS DONE — The shiny signs are reflected in the water that is being held back by the newly-constructed Pleasant Lake Parker Pond Dam. The dam was completed in April; and the Casco Fish Hatchery project is still in progress. (De Busk Photo)
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — While members of the Pleasant LakeParker Pond Lake Association (PLPPLA) are pleased that the aging and inefficient dam was replaced, they found the information about the Casco Hatchery pipes project particularly interesting. During the recent lake association meeting, members heard from Steve Tremblay, the fish culture supervisor at the Casco Fish Hatchery, which is operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “The whole thing about the hatchery and putting in the new pipes — people
liked hearing about that,” said PLPPLA President Anne Fritts. “There are only 12 hatcheries in the state of Maine. We are really proud to have one here on Pleasant Lake,” she said. Fritts not only has a home on Pleasant Lake but she also works at Camp Arcadia, which has access to the lake in Casco. She said that the lake people have not been raving about the new dam, but they haven’t said anything negative about it either. “People were happy it was done. Really, we had no choice,” she said. “The original dam that
was there was collapsing. It was old. The concrete was breaking up,” Fritts said. “It was a simple construction: Three big boards and a measurement stick. It was very simple. If there was too much rain, someone lifted the board to let the water out,” she said. “This dam is doing the same thing. It just looks
nicer,” she said. “We [the lake association members] were behind the project. We are trying to protect and preserve the lake as much as we can,” she said. “The dam was just finished this spring. This project was going on for several years,” she said. “It was a member of our DAM, Page 7A
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