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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 150, No. 40
16 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
October 1, 2020
www.bridgton.com
(USPS 065-020)
95¢
Hearing turns rowdy, emotional
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The Town of Naples granted Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern a permit to have outdoors music until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Halloween. This was granted with the agreement that by the time the Entertainment Permit expires next spring, tavern owner Gary Skellett will work on a plan to soundproof the stage that is outside in the beer garden. Skellett volunteered to make the changes — such as extending the fence behind the stage and planting trees — to mitigate the sound levels.
Naples Selectman Caleb Humphrey spent some time discussing methods to decrease the sound levels of the live music so that it doesn’t bother neighbors. He said one way to soundproof is to use weighted vinyl mats, which absorb the sound. When put on the ceiling and the back walls, weighted vinyl mats can reduce the noise by 40 decibels, he said. “In theory, it gives you a better sound quality. The sound quality will be like going to a theater. The white noise will be gone. The reverb will be gone,” Humphrey said. Skellett was advised that if he researched other ways to reduce sound levels and planned to use those techniques to e-mail the town with his findings. On Monday, the Naples Board of Selectmen held some rather rowdy and emotional public hearings on the Entertainment Permit and the
Liquor License for Gary’s Olde Town Tavern. Both the liquor license and the entertainment permit have been tabled since the end of August. Prior to opening the floor to speakers during the public hearing, Chairman Jim Grattelo outlined the rules for speaking. First off, all those in favor of the permit and/ or license would speak first and then all those against the permit being granted would speak second. Each group would be given up to an hour. People were asked not to berate or attack other people. People were asked not to banter back and forth. The audience was not exactly civil. That incivility happened before the meeting even started when it became apparent that there was a large crowd of more than 50 people. Some individuals taunted Grattelo, saying
he was trying to kick people out and not let them speak. Someone said that more than 50 people had been allowed in the gym during a recent workshop. Grattelo did not respond but instead worked with staff to get a headcount and to move additional people from the gym into the large meeting room. Throughout the evening, people in the audience made noises or talked loudly while certain parties were at the microphone. A few people stormed out of the room. Toward the end of the evening, people actually shouted out comments. There were multiple interruptions. The board voted, 4-1, with Grattelo opposing, to approve the Entertainment Permit. Grattelo said numerous times that he would rule in favor of the neighbors in Bay Village Homes, who are trying to co-exist with live HEARING, Page 5A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES— At some point in Naples’ history, speed signs were put up that were lower than the official speed limit. That’s one way to get people to slow down. Over the years, law enforcement has pointed out to the Town of Naples that speeding tickets cannot be enforced (and fines cannot be collected) if the posted speed limit is the wrong one. The court throws that one out the window, they said. Other times, a resident would complain to town officials that people were driving too fast on a residential road and would ask
about having the speed limit lowered. The discovery would be that the actual speed was faster than the posted speed limit. This irregularity was brought to the town’s attention two town managers ago. This fall, when the Town of Naples started replacing the incorrect signs and putting up the ones with higher speed limits, people living along those roads got upset. “I have received complaints because people think the town is increasing the speed limit on rural roads,” Naples Town Manager John Hawley said. “That is not the case, the state sets the speed limit.”
“It takes an act of God and a year’s worth of headaches” to get the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) to switch the speed limit, Hawley said. Someone asked about the history of what entity posted the speed-limit signs. Hawley quipped, “I cannot confirm or deny who put up those signs.” Ted Shane said that the speed limit could be lowered if the state looked at how many homes are along the road. The number of accidents also factor into a speed-limit reduction. “The employees who do those studies are fewer than the requests,” Hawley said. But it is not all red tape.
MDOT has granted communities the authority to do the study, he said. Board Vice-chairman Bob Caron II said the town should look into that. Hawley acknowledged that request to possibly contract someone to do the study. “They could come in and do the study; and see if the speed limit is appropriate,” he said. Basically, the reason for the conversation was to inform the public that the increased speed limit signs are not the town’s doing. The town has not changed the speed but is changing the signs to reflect the correct speed limit, he said.
Outdoor music extended
RECOVERING — Madilyn Clark rests as she recovers whiplash and a wrist injury as the result of a hit and run crash at a Naples shopping center.
Justice for Maddie
Help find hit & run driver
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer It pains Jamie Clark to see her daughter, Maddie, wearing a neck collar after suffering injuries from a collision in the Umbrella Factory parking lot in Naples. What really steams Clark, however, is the woman — white hair and thought to be in her 60s or 70s — responsible for the crash left the scene. By placing paper flyers in the area, posting photos on Facebook and reaching out to media outlets, Clark hopes to gain some justice for her 7-year-old, who continues to struggle with a wrist injury that prevents her from grasping some things, as well as dizziness and the inability to focus for extended period of times. When asked if the woman responsible for the collision is reading this story what message would Clark like to pass on to her, the mother said, “Please just come forward. My daughter doesn’t deserve this.” Clark, a resident of Casco, had driven to the Umbrella Factory in Naples on Tuesday, Sept. 15 just before noon to pick up her daughter’s inhaler prescription at Walgreens. All of a sudden, Clark’s black Mazda was struck. “A woman in a white truck threw the truck in reverse, stomped on the gas, ramming into my car, shoving us backwards,” Clark recalled. Clark’s car sustained damage to the hood, fender, fog light and air box, but did not need to be towed. “Madilyn (who was buckled at the time of the crash) was severely shaking and saying her wrist and neck hurt,” Clark said. “I ended up having contractions and was put on monitors to monitor my daughter.” Clark believes the truck to be a Toyota Tacoma, bearing Maine license plates. A photo of the vehicle was retrieved from store surveillance camera footage, but law enforcement officials were unable to enhance the still photo enough to see the license plate number. Anyone with information regarding the truck should contact Sergeant Christopher Farley of the Maine State Police (624-7076) or the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office (693-3369). “The woman got out of her truck and told me she was going to park, but then she took off, headed back toward Naples,” Clark said. “She left the scene with no regard to the damages she caused!” Madilyn, who is wearing a neck collar, has seen two specialists regarding whiplash and “brain bruising” but is expected to recover fully in time. She has multi-weekly visits for concussion rehabilitation and physical therapy for her neck. Clark says Madilyn has her good moments, but also is experiencing times when she doesn’t want to eat and becomes frustrated when she can’t sit and do her school work. “To watch her be able to do normal everyday things for half the day sometimes, and then she’s down and out for the count. She is having a hard time with anxiety and handling the pain. She is just not understanding why this happened to her…It’s not fair to a seven-year-old who is normally running around,” Clark said. “Madilyn has a lot of built up anger toward this woman. I’m hoping to get justice for our little girl.” Clark thanks all those who have shown an outpouring of support and those who have sent prayers and well wishes for Madilyn’s recovery. “It means the world to our family,” she said.
LEAVING THE SCENE following the crash is the suspected white truck, captured here on a video surveillance camera.
Signs switch upsets residents
Funds to save historic home
Possible exposure closes office
RAYMOND — The boyhood home of the legendary author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables in Raymond — known with great affection by locals as “the Hawthorne House” and listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1969 — is at risk of serious structural damage if major repairs are not made soon. A major “Save the Hawthorne House” fundraising drive is now
underway, seeking to raise $75,000 to make critical repairs to the house’s foundation and structural support, roof, and siding, as identified by a professional structural engineer hired by The Hawthorne Community Association. “The Hawthorne House
is a landmark and a source of pride, not only for our community but also for everyone who appreciates the culture and heritage of New England, and of southern Maine in particular,” said Abel Bates, of the Hawthorne Community HOME, Page 5A
By Perri Black Special to the News Fall is fast approaching so let us give thanks to have made it through this particularly unusual and difficult summer. So many restrictions, quarantines and requirements to stop the spread of the coronavirus have been implemented — and I think Maine has done a very good job keeping the number of cases, and especially deaths, to a minimum. This summer may not have been as profitable as some hoped but, in my experience, most locals and tourists have behaved well and complied with CDC regulations (despite
the inconvenience) with understanding and good humor. Communities have also risen to the occasion and supported local businesses and organizations to help them survive this meager season. As the bounty of summer and autumn harvests dwindles, food pantries in Maine are focused on meeting increased need. Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank, which supplies many food pantries across the state, said, “Maine already had a heightened level of food insecurity compared to the rest of the country going into the pandemic. The pandemic has
put a magnifying glass on the inequality that existed prior to it.” Vice President of Development at Good Shepherd Erin Fogg says they are “…anticipating the number of people who are experiencing food insecurity in Maine will grow by at least 40 percent FOOD, Page 4A
PENCIL DRAWING of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Boyhood Home courtesy of the Hawthorne Community Association.
Pantry faces fall tests
HARRISON — A possible Covid-19 exposure within the community has led Harrison officials to close the municipal office to the public and return to “by appointment only.” “There has been the possibility of exposure in the community and out of an abundance of caution, the office has been closed to protect the employees and the public,” Town Clerk Melissa St. John said Tuesday afternoon. “With the election 35 days away, we have limited staff to run the election and get absentee ballots mailed out.” Anyone needing the town office should call 583-2241 to make an appointment. The code enforcement office can be reached at 583-0923. “We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we work through these challenging times,” St. John added.
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