Dangerous buildings
Perfection spoiled
Casco code enforcement officer set to respond to several complaints
Inside News
Skye Dole scores the game’s only goal as Fryeburg Academy ends Lake Region’s unbeaten streak
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Calendar . . . . . . . 3B, 6B Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 4D Country Living . . . 4B-7B Directory . . . . . . . . . . 3D Obituaries . . . . . . 6D-7D Opinions . . . 1D-3D, 5D, 7D-8D Police/Court . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . 1C-8C Student News . . . . . . . . Entertainment 1B-2B, 8B
www.bridgton.com Vol. 143, No. 41
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. 28 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
October 11, 2012
(USPS 065-020)
SIXTY CENTS
‘Skiers peace,’ make room By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Despite the fire chief’s concerns that fighting a structure fire there would “become something of a logistical nightmare,” a new four-lot subdivision called Buck Estates has been conditionally approved for development off Old County Road, on the side of Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton. Planning Board Chairman Steve Collins, who helped craft a proposed new sprinkler ordinance that was quickly scuttled in the court of public opinion, said “my conscience still twinges me” in agreeing that subdivision standards for “adequate fire protection” will be met for the project by using the tradi-
tional fire tanker shuttle system. Collins and other members of the Fire Suppression Committee studied the advantages of modern sprinkler technology for months, but the strong negative public reaction the draft sprinkler ordinance received has convinced the committee to “go back to the drawing board” and draft new rules. “I’d love to be able to (require sprinklers for Buck Estates), but we would be creating a precedent, and we would be overreaching” without a local ordinance in place, since the state has not adopted such a requirement, Collins said at the board’s Oct. 2 meeting. Fire Chief Glen Garland told the board that his department
could pump water the 1,000foot distance up the 12% slope of the new Rabbit Run Road that would be built off Old County Road to serve the four 20,000-square-foot lots, all to be served by a private common water system. However, because ambulances could not drive over the large-diameter hoses that would need to be laid in Rabbit Run Road, Garland added, “in all liklihood, we’d have to carry someone out” if either firefighters or residents were injured in the fire and required emergency attention. “We’d try to lay our scene out so that it doesn’t become a problem,” Garland said. Terry Buck of T. Buck
Construction, Inc. of Auburn, who owns a second home on Old County Road, purchased the land for Buck Estates, located behind his property and adjacent to the ski slope at Shawnee Peak. The ski resort’s owner, Chet Homer, once had designs on the property, and although Buck now owns it, Homer sent the board a letter asserting that Shawnee Peak Holdings has an easement into the project site. Homer’s project was scuttled by questions over whether he had a right-of-way to access Old County Road, a private road owned and maintained by a road association. Buck is a member of that road association and the Buck Estates land PROJECT, Page A
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Bridgton Selectmen delayed action on pursuing a major state grant that would help complete work at the Kendal C. and Anna Ham Recreation Complex Tuesday. The reason? The $377,000 grant comes with a required 50% match of $188,500, and even though volunteer labor and materials can be applied to the match, selectmen don’t want to commit town funds until they first meet with members of the sports complex’s fundraising arm, the Bridgton Recreation Advancement Group. Board members Bernie King and Doug Taft were expected to
meet Wednesday with BRAG officials on the matter. They want to know how much more money BRAG is planning to raise, beyond the $700,000 they’ve already raised on site preparation, design, field creation and fencing, and what they plan to spend it on. The conservation department’s Land and Water Fund only pays for projects related directly to enjoyment of the outdoors. Anne Krieg, Bridgton’s Director of Planning, Economic and Community Development, said she and Recreation Director Tom Tash met last month with the Department of Conservation’s Mick Rogers, who told her the town’s best bet was to seek funding for the
tennis courts, along with the playground and the walkway. A separate trail grant could be sought for the trail work, she said. The town also must take ownership of the complex before the work could begin. BRAG President Bill Macdonald has said the nonprofit organization knows it will need to stay active well after the transfer of ownership to raise the estimated $500,000 still needed. Krieg said BRAG cannot apply for the DOC grant; only governmental entities are eligible. Selectman Woody Woodward said that although volunteer labor and donated materials could be used to offset a good part of the cost of
the gravel walkway and playground, only professional contractors can create two regulation-sized paved tennis courts, estimated to cost $225,000. As such, it seems clear that taxpayers would need to fund a good portion of the $188,500 match, he said. Selectman Chairman Paul Hoyt agreed, saying it especially concerned him that the tennis court construction was part of what BRAG promised when the town agreed to use revenue from the Moose Pond Trust Fund for the project. Just how ‘Business-Friendly’ is Bridgton? Questions resurfaced over just how effective the town COMPLEX, Page A
prior to allowing the Casco Fire Department to use the school as a training facility, he said. Turning over the structure to the fire department is one of the options that will come before the Casco Board of Selectmen. At the Town Meeting in June, the residents voted to give to the seated selectmen the power to decide what to do with the school, which has been vacant for three years and covered with a tarp for two winters. If the board decides to dispose of the building by allowing it to be used for fire training purposes, the town must spend money to remove asbestos. According to Casco Fire DISPOSAL, Page A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Ever purchased a gift that seemed so perfect it begged to be admired before it was officially presented to its recipient? Members of the Naples Fire and Rescue Department (NFRD) experienced just that recently, when they got together to attach a giant-sized American flag to the 77-foot pole at the town’s newly-constructed scenic vista. Both the garrison American flag and the extra tall pole were purchased for the townspeople through NFRD fundraising, according to NFRD Emergency Medical Technician Rick Paraschak. “We wanted to give to the community something we could be proud of, and they could be proud of,” Paraschak said on Monday. Each year the NFRD holds various fundraisers — including operating a food shack during Naples Ice Carnival. Those fundraising activities support the needs of the department and the community, according to Paraschak. This year, the department decided to spend some of the
“We have no meeting space. The place that serves as the place for employees to have lunch is also a meeting room, where we can cram four or five people. We have to plan around unexpected needs. If community members want to look at records — that is where it has to happen — at the meeting table,” Morton said. At a recent Casco Board of Selectmen workshop, the idea
was suggested to utilize a vacant town-owned building. However, the former bank building that is situated near the Casco Community Center in the Village would not be the new town office. It would house only the departments of Code Enforcement and Assessing. “The idea of splitting staff: We can communicate with phones and intercoms,” Morton VACANT, Page A
money on a new flag pole and an American flag to coincide with the Bay of Naples Bridge and Causeway renovations that are part of the Maine State Department of Transportation (MDOT) construction project that began in 2010. “We got the money through fundraising mostly. We had a gentleman who contributed a large chunk of money in memory of his wife,” Paraschak said. “It was the fire department’s contribution to the Causeway renovation,” he said. And, everybody could not wait to see the flag flying — a little ahead of schedule. On Sunday Sept. 23, about a dozen people from the NFRD spent the morning unfurling the extra-large American banner and hoisting it up the flag pole. “We used the assistance of Evergreen Electric. We used their pole truck,” Paraschak explained. “It is amazing how many of us were holding it until it was up in the air,” he said. “That adds something to giving it to the town. It is a team effort kind of thing,” Paraschak said, adding, “We purchased it from the company, and did all the installation, and then put up the flag.” Proud, “Old Glory” graced the northeast end of the Causeway for one solar day; and before the sun set that Sunday in September, the crew of volunteers removed the “Stars and Stripes.” It disappeared from the scene so quickly because, according to flag etiquette, the American flag cannot be left hanging if it is not properly lit during the nighttime, Paraschak said. Unfortunately, it is a daunting chore to take the flag up and
Cautious complex funding approach
American flag gets a Sunday debut
FEELING THE NEED TO COOL DOWN — Although temperatures were comfortable Sunday, Cutter Meeker of Naples was working up a swett during the Waterford Fall Foliage 5K Race. The 12-year-old was 28th out of a field of 215. See race results on Page 6C. (Rivet Photo)
Town seeks CMS disposal costs By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Inching closer to a plausible solution for the Casco Memorial School, elected public officials requested the cost estimates — if the building was to be used for fire training purposes. According to Town Manager Dave Morton, the plan is to acquire, in the next couple of months, the cost estimates associated with disposing of the building, and with fixing the roof. Those expense estimates will include getting rid of asbestos and other materials that are hazardous when airborne. That job will have to be done
Vacant space to house CEO? By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — When Casco Town Manager Dave Morton was asked if extra space was truly needed for the town office, his answer was an emphatic, ‘Yes.’ “We are bursting at the seams. We are carting around files just to move. We have stacks and stacks of files,” he said.
A BEACON FROM THE BRIDGE — The American flag flew from a 77-foot pole at the scenic vista on the Causeway recently. The garrison flag will take a semi-permanent status as soon as an electrical box on the other side of the bridge is energized. (Photo courtesy of Rick Paraschak) down on a daily basis, he said. we have to make sure it doesn’t “The problem we have is: touch the ground,” he said. The flag is a garrison flag, “You need a minimum of which is really big,” he said. three people to do that. It is According to the definitions difficult to get three people from various sources, a garrison together at the same time in the flag measures 28x30 feet. morning to put it up, and then “In order to do it properly, FLAG, Page A
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