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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 145, No. 39
28 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
September 25, 2014
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 4D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Depot St. extras
Extravagant or smart?
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Faced with a project that turned out to be much more expensive than first thought, Bridgton Selectmen on Tuesday debated on how far the Depot Street Streetscape Project should be scaled back. But first, Selectman Paul Hoyt wanted to know how the project’s design engineers from Milone & MacBroom could have gotten it so wrong. The project was estimated to cost $378,034, but bids initially came back nearly $300,000 higher, and were still around $100,000 higher when it was bid out a second time. “The contingency’s already in there,” said Hoyt, noting the $78,000 contingency as part of the $378,034 engineer’s estimate, “and it still came in one third higher? That’s a huge gap.” Hoyt said he was “particularly upset”
because selectmen used the engineer’s estimate as the basis for going to voters with a request to use TIF funds to supplement Community Development Block Grant funds. “I’m trying to figure out what we got for our money, because we’ve been planning this for a year,” Hoyt said. Dustin Roma, project engineer from Milone & MacBroom, said his firm relies on state Department of Transportation published bid amounts as well as their own analysis of the competitiveness of various projects to come up with cost estimates for a project. “One of the factors is dealing with the new uptick in construction activity,” Roma said. “Everybody’s real busy now,” and “We weren’t used to seeing that.” Construction activity has been on an upswing since 2007, he said. Roma said the project was bid out as a
Dustin Roma, project engineer for the Depot Street Streetscape Project. line-item project rather than a lump sum project, so that the board would have a clear idea of what each element costs. With Anne Krieg, Bridgton’s Director of Planning, Economic and Community Development, Roma identified a list of 10 items, totaling $120,430, that could be deferred until the next fiscal year. By creating a two-phase project, the work done in the current fiscal
year could stay within the $335,000 in available CDBG and TIF funds that voters have already approved. The list of items that would be deferred until the 2015 fiscal year includes: a flagpole and wall ($11,800), benches and trash cans (7,000), street trees ($7,000), light poles and fixtures ($27,400), pump station building DEPOT STREET, Page A
Hop on over to annual Brewfest
Greenhouse effect: Hoax or science? By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — In K Bolduc’s science class, Lake Region High School (LRHS) students are learning about the Greenhouse Effect (Joseph Fourier, 1824) and ways to lower their carbon footprints. The curriculum is part of an eight-week course on environmental science, and includes a discussion on the connection between increased carbon dioxide in the air and water quality by Lakes Environmental Association, according to Bolduc. Last week, the students watched the documentary, “Disruption,” which outlined the countdown to a massgathering peaceful protest against continuing climate change, Bolduc said. The organized march was planned to precede the gathering of the United Nations at its New York headquarters for a summit on the climate. That takes place this week, and Bolduc said her students will follow the meeting and talk about the outcomes from that U.N. summit. On Sunday, while 400,000 individuals from all over the United States participated in the People’s Climate March in New York City, some of Bolduc’s students took part in smaller, quieter rallies in Naples and Bridgton. Three of those students held posters while standing on the boardwalk of the Naples Causeway. Aisley Sturk, Isabelle Davis-White and Lindsey Keenan, all 14 years old, talked about why they were doing this on a Sunday. “We are learning about the Greenhouse Effect now, and this is connected,” said Sturk. Earlier in the week, the students had seen “Disruption,” which discussed the Keeling Curve, a measure of CO2 in the atmosphere. (Charles Keeling was a scientist who, in 1959, measured CO2 levels in the carbon cycle.) The documentary not only outlined plans for the People’s Climate March in New York and other parts of the world, but it also connected a series of weather-related events to an elevation in the earth’s temperature. “It wasn’t depressing. But, it was frustrating. I wish people before us had worked harder” to lower carbon emissions and seek alternative forms of energy, Sturk said. “It was sad to see what was happening around the world,” Keenan said. The students said they felt that their rally was for the GREENHOUSE EFFECT, Page A
LAKE REGION MIDDLE SCHOOL science students, (left to right) Aisley Sturk, Isabelle Davis-White and Lindsey Keenan, all 14 years old, hold signs on the Naples Causeway. Although the turnout was much smaller than the People’s Climate March in New York City, the students said it was important to educate others about the Greenhouse Effect as well as convincing others to lower their individual carbon footprints. (De Busk Photo)
AT THE CORNER of Route 117 and Route 302 in Bridgton, about 15 people showed up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to show solidarity with the People’s Climate March in New York City on Sunday. (Photo Courtesy of Sally Chappell)
Farmers’ market petition dismissed By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer A petition signed by 86 people who wanted to keep the Farmers’ Market green space as it is wasn’t enough to convince Bridgton Selectmen to make any changes to the sidewalk design for Depot Street. The petitioners were, however, able to save the large red maple tree that was slated for removal in the streetscape project — providing that the tree’s root system doesn’t get in the way of drainage work that has to be done prior to the road resurfacing. The project’s intent is to create an “esplanade” feel along the street from Renys to the Bridgton Community Center, with sidewalks on
both sides of the street. In the wide green space separating the municipal parking lot from the street, designers proposed placing the sidewalk in the middle of the green space, interspersed with benches, to invite people to think of the green space as a destination. Vendors who sell their wares at the Farmers’ Market from late spring to fall would rather have the sidewalk run closer alongside the street so that setup of their spaces would be more convenient. Helen Ramsdell, one of the vendors, wrote on the petition that the green space does need drainage work and more loam. Selectmen Bob McHatton said he understands that dividing the green space
might be inconvenient for Farmers’ Market vendors, “but they might not always be there.” Anne Krieg, Director of Planning, Economic and Community Development, said the center-sidewalk placement is needed to create the esplanade effect, and noted that “right now, (the green space) is a mud puddle.” She said she didn’t see why vendors couldn’t set up on both sides of the sidewalk. Speaking on behalf of petitioners, Lucia Terry said “the feeling was that green space is pretty small and pretty rare in this town,” particularly green space that is flat. Splitting the space with a sidewalk would diminish
that effect, she said. “A four-foot sidewalk (beside the street) instead of a six-foot walkway might save the town some money as well,” Terry said. Depot Street Project Engineer Dustin Roma said at Milone & MacBroom, the engineering firm where he works, “We’re very fond of green space” as well, but “having a real space where people can congregate,” sitting at benches, requires placing the sidewalk in the middle. He said the sidewalk there would be eight-feet wide, with around 18 feet of green space on either side. There would still be enough green space on either side to allow vendors to set up their 10’-x-10’ popup tents.
“It’s a different feel, sitting on the edge of the road, versus sitting back” from the road, Roma said. As the discussion continued, Selectman Chairman Bernie King said, “This whole design is not for the Farmers’ Market.” Terry had more she wanted to say, but the board moved the question, voting to take no action on the petition.
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Everything has been coming to a head. Area brewers have labored over the beer-making process, and wine-makers are poised to uncork their creations. This last Saturday in September is the day to hop on over to the 11th Annual Maine Lakes Brewfest. In the past few days, ticket sales have peaked, according to Sue Mercer, the executive director of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event. “We are selling tickets like crazy. I think everyone is seeing it is going to be a great day,” weather-wise and otherwise, Mercer said. “We had 2,700 people last year. I think we will hit 3,000 people,” she said, adding that despite the ample outdoor space there is a limit to the number of tickets that can be sold for the event. “We have all the brewers under a tent. We have told them to plan on 3,000 people,” she said. We want to “make sure we have accommodations for everyone, and to keep it a good event,” Mercer said. Per usual, the event is held at Point Sebago Resort. It kicks off at 11 a.m. and things wrap up by 4:30 p.m. Thirty-one breweries and wine companies will be represented at this year’s Brewfest. While well-known names such as Sam Adams and Gritty McDuff’s will be present, brewers from the region will also wow the taste buds of beer connoisseurs. Bray’s Brewpub and Eatery, located on the east end of the Naples Causeway, will prompt an age-old question. Do gentlemen prefer Blonde? The Blonde, an Americanstyle wheat ale that for the past 19 years has tantalized beer drinkers of both genders, will be poured at the BREWFEST, Page A
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