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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 7, 2021
Legal Notices . . . . . . . 2B
www.bridgton.com
(USPS 065-020)
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Repair of historic home gets big financial boost RAYMOND — The passionate, three-yearlong “Save the Hawthorne House!” fundraising campaign launched by the Hawthorne Community Association to repair serious structural damage to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Boyhood Home in Raymond has received a greatly-appreciated $10,000 donation from a person who wishes to remain anonymous. The donor—a resident of California wishing to be FIGURING OUT HABITAT — Joseph Roy, private lands wildlife biologist with identified only as a descenthe Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and (in green jacket) Sally dent of Ichabod Roberts Stockwell, director of conservation with Maine Audubon led a hike called Woods and Kelsey and Martha Ann Wildlife as part of Woodland Owner Appreciation Day in Naples. (De Busk Photos) Bartlett Kelsey (Daughters of the American Revolution 1907 compilation no. 64087) and of George F. Murch and Mary Jane Nutting Murch— has asked that the donation be identified as a special gift in honor of Clyde Stanley Murch and Edna By Dawn De Busk Pearl Ames Murch. (Clyde Staff Writer Murch was also a descenBev Vucson and Kim dant of George F. Murch and Colson own 40 acres of Mary Jane Nutting Murch.) land at the mouth of the Clyde Murch was a foundMuddy River in the Town ing officer of the Hawthorne of Sebago. For the past 20 Community Association years, they have managed upon its formation in 1921. the land by putting it into He was instrumental in revitree growth. The parcel talizing the Association in where they live is located 1956, and in securing fedacross from Inner Island. eral tax-exempt status for it “For us, we wanted to in 1963. find out how are we doing. While offering his donaWhat are we doing right? tion to the Hawthorne What would we think Community Association, the about doing different in anonymous donor said, “I the future? Two important wish to convey my congratthings that I got out of this: ulations to the residents of Being able to connect with the Casco/Raymond area for other landowners who have similar goals and wishes for their property. Then, also learning more about the resources that landowners By Dawn De Busk have to help them manStaff Writer age their property,” Vucson NAPLES — Local selectsaid. “It’s really nice to men decided it would be nice know that there are other to get an unfinished duplex land owners in this area that back on the property tax are doing similar things that roles. While the selectmen we are doing. Collectively, toyed with the idea of keepwe are making a difference. ing the 50-plus acres surSometimes you think, ‘We rounding the duplex, they have got our 40 acres. We decided to sell that, too. are this little island.’ But, On Monday, Sept. 27, the we are not an island. There Naples Board of Selectmen are a whole bunch of other people in this area who are ON SATURDAY, Executive Director of Lakes heard the details of taxdoing things to have bet- Environmental Association (LEA) Colin Holme speaks acquired property that the ter woods, better wildlife during the Woodland Owner Appreciation Day. Over town would like to put into the hands of a bonafide taxhabitat, and also to protect his shoulder is a map of the Sebago Lake watershed. the water quality of Sebago shed. These people were “I definitely wanted to payer. In the end, the board Lake,” she said. invited to the Woodland meet more people around The two women were Owner Appreciation Day, here who are also landown- put on the market both the among more than 50 indi- which was held in Naples ers and to meet the people duplex and a large lot. Real Estate broker Anne viduals who own property for about four (4) hours on from the various organiPlummer Legere did the in the Sebago Lake water- Saturday. LAND, Page 3A
Landowners find ‘they are making difference’
MAJOR DONATION — Members of the Hawthorne Community Association accept the $10,000 donation. (Photo courtesy of Hawthorne Community Association) support for this project, and donations from a wide array I hope that others with ties to of Mainers, the “Save the the region generally and to Hawthorn House!” fundthe Hawthorne House spe- raising effort previously cifically — including sea- received a greatly-appresonal residents like myself ciated $11,000 donation — will consider donating from William and Anne to the fund. This will allow Harrison of Raymond and a the Association to success- $5,000 donation from David fully complete this urgently- Flanagan of Manchester. needed renovation project.” To help save Nathaniel In addition to smaller DONATION, Page 3A
Naples sells duplex, lot
Author Luanne Cameron takes cancer awareness personally NAPLES — Luanne Cameron is more than a breast cancer survivor. She is a wife, Mother, entrepreneur, small business coach, and author. A cancer diagnosis and her unwavering positive attitude lead Luanne to write a book. Her mission is to teach people the principles that have brought her success. Her ultimate goal is to help others achieve success through her tried and true practices and techniques learned from her personal life challenges. In her book, The 110 Philosophy™, Luanne recounts the childhood traumas that led to her vision of long life and iron-clad discipline. She shares her personal story of how she navigated through living with a pedophile as a child, recently surviving breast cancer, and remaining happily married and satisfied in life even after all of the odds were against her. “The decision to write the book took several years. It was at first just a fun idea. In my corporate life, I was introduced to a few leadership books that sold millions of copies and I thought to myself — they don’t even tell you how to ‘stay positive,’ they just said ‘stay positive.’ I would be sharing exactly ‘how’ you stay positive when life throws you lemons. I would share the recipe to make the lemonade out of the lemons. Then, I got caught in the recession really bad and I landed on my feet at State Farm. I was missing helping people (managing five people vs 150-plus) so I began to share with my team, ‘I should
Luanne Cameron wrote “The 110 Philosophy’
write a book.’ After hearing me say this a few times, my office manager asked me, ‘so when are you going to write that book?’ and that was the moment! I was held accountable by my office manager, and the decision was made. I am writing a book!” Luanne said. “It actually started as AUTHOR, Page 2A
research of the building and land that was subdivided in 2006. The property is off Lambs Mill Road. There is an unfinished duplex with a well and septic that would be sellable to the right buyer. “Based on the comparable, to sell the duplex separately as is, between $135,000 and $140,999 because it is unfinished. It needs a kitchen and flooring,” Plummer Legere said. “What is left from less roads, less wetlands and what was sold is 54 acres. The rest of the lots [I would price between] $185,000 and $190,000. It might sound low, but roads aren’t all in,” she said, later adding that there is no road association so any future owner would need to arrange for plowing. “I don’t see a lot of survey pins. So somebody has got to do survey work,” she said. “There is a lot of infrastructure that someone has got to do to buy it. Someone who is a builder or an excavator — that is the only one who is going to make money up there,” Plummer Legere said. “There is so much that has to be done.” The board members discussed how to set a price on the lots. The bottom line is a price that would cover the amount of the back taxes that were never paid. “We would need the revenue for the sale of the duplex to cover the back taxes,” Naples Town Manager John
Hawley said. “The duplex would take care of that,” Plummer Legere said. “John [Hawley] and I have been collectively talking with the attorney Drummond & Drummond. He found a title company that would be willing to insure a lump sale. That would be good thing. No problem with getting a loan and who gets the title,” she said. The board voted unanimously, 5-0, to list the duplex to sell for $150,000. Selectman Ted Shane made a motion on the floor to keep the remaining 54 acres. After all, the town might have use for a sizable lot for expansion or for land conservation, Selectman Bob Caron II disagreed, saying the town shouldn’t be owning large lots plus this one isn’t as buildable. “It is on a sharp corner. It has wetlands. It has ledge. It is part of subdivision project,” he said. “Put it out there at higher price,” Caron suggested. “If the taxpayers can reap the money back that we are owed for back taxes, I would not be in favor of the town owning the property.” Selectman Colin Brackett, who was in Virginia for his military job and attended the meeting via Zoom, favored preserving the land. “What if we kept that 54 aces and turned it into a trail SELLS, Page 2A
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