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A Lion’s fight
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Inside News
Cancer survivor Al Fitzmorris runs in Dempsey Challenge, looks to start support group
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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 144, No. 44
32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
October 31, 2013
(USPS 065-020)
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Third party review rules goes too far? By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Strong opposition emerged Tuesday from developers to a proposed new process for third party review of all new subdivision plans in Bridgton that would make the posting of performance guarantees mandatory. Developer Mark Lopez said the new rules “amount
to growth control,” and developer Justin McIver said it’s unfair to require responsible developers pay for the mistakes of a few bad developers. The developers took particular exception to the requirement for long-term maintenance of site improvements such as stormwater controls and roads designed to protect environmental
quality. Code Enforcement Officer Robbie Baker said his informal survey of other towns’ requirements found that “none of the other towns had an escrow account set up for inspections every five years.” Baker said engineering inspection costs could vary widely depending on the length of the road and other factors. “It’s going to be a judgment call for each
subdivision,” he said. The proposed new third party review rules replaces “may” with “shall” in the section of the subdivision ordinance requiring the posting of a bond prior to final approval as a performance guarantee. During the project review stage, the board would still have the option to waive the requirement for a bond to pay costs of a
professional review of any aspect of a subdivision plan involving more than 10,000 square feet of ground disturbance, “which the board may feel is reasonably necessary to protect the environmental quality or general welfare of the town.” The third party review would apply to all site improvements, including all public and private
Bridge fate to voters Nov. 5
Diesel bus to serve region By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The wheels on the bus go round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round all over town. This children’s song will ring true in the Lake Region, as a newly purchased bus takes to the road — picking up passengers in four towns, and transporting them as far as Portland. According to Dan Goodman, Regional Transportation Program (RTP) customer and community relations coordinator, the final details are clicking into place. Most likely, the 22passenger bus will be servicing the region by the beginning of November. “I hope to be announcing a start date very shortly,” Goodman said. “You are seeing a rise in population in the Lakes Region, and that’s why this is BUS, Page A
roads, drainage structures and ditches, erosion, sedimentation and stormwater control measures, utilities, landscaping and recreation facilities. All of the required improvements would have to be completed within one year, or up to three years if the board deems a longer time frame appropriate. The need for a more RULES, Page A
BEWITCHING HOUR IS UPON US — Happy Halloween! Keep it safe tonight by watching out for little witches, goblins, ghosts and other masked characters walking Lake Region area streets. There is plenty of fun to be had at area Halloween parties including: Bridgton Town Hall 5 to 7 p.m.; Brownfield Community Center at 5:30 p.m.; Casco Community Center 5:30 to 7 p.m.; Trunk or Treat at Lake Region High School 4 to 6 p.m.; and Harrison Fire Station from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Rivet Photo)
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer FRYEBURG — For four years, a grassroots campaign has led the rallying cry, “Save the Red Iron Bridge!” Next Tuesday, Nov. 5, Fryeburg voters will finally be asked to put their money where their mouth is — or not. The local referendum question offers voters three options: repair the bridge, for an estimated local cost of $600,000; replace the bridge, for an estimated local cost of $750,000; or spend nothing, which will result in its removal by the state for safety reasons. The costs for repair or replacement are given as local costs, because several statewide transportation-related bond issues also coming up Nov. 5 include funds to pay for the state’s share of either option. Since 1800, the Red Iron Bridge on McNeil Road BRIDGE, Page A
Fire protection hot potato bounces yet again
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer The Bridgton Planning Board’s feet are being held to the fire, so to speak, to follow the charge given to them by Bridgton Selectmen to create a stand-alone fire protection ordinance, instead of making revisions to the subdivision ordinance as they were planning. On Tuesday, Board Chairman Steve Collins, also the chair of the Fire Suppression Committee, apologized for losing sight of the fact that selectmen, on
May 28, voted to charge the planning board to work with the fire suppression committee to create a stand-alone ordinance. Effectively, selectmen said they want any proposed new language brought back to them for a referendum decision first, so that any changes would ultimately be up to voters to decide. When the planning board, at their last meeting, began reviewing the proposed standards as if the board would vote on the new standards themselves and incorporate them into the subdivision
ordinance, their actions “were not within the charge, and were inappropriate,” Collins said. He said board member Fred Packard, who was absent from the last meeting along with Mike Figoli and Alternate Adam Grant, pointed out the error via email. “I really missed Fred on Oct. 1. (He) would have saved us a lot of sweat and effort,” Collins said. Just in case it wasn’t crystal clear, Selectman Bernie King came to Tuesday’s meeting armed with the exact language of
the charge given by selectmen at their May 28 meeting, in answer to a question about process from Fire Chief Glen Garland. Packard and Figoli were concerned that the proposed new standards did not address substandard or nonconforming road conditions or steep grades as “trigger points,” or circumstances that would warrant requiring developers to install fire ponds, cisterns or sprinkler systems. The current language considers only the distance of the house lot from public fire hydrants
Women: Take control of future By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Bridgton announces a new opportunity for women to experience the services of Professional Life Coaching. Deborah Ripley, a Certified Professional Life Coach, graduated from IPEC, The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, an organization based in Marlboro, Mass. Ripley is offering her professional skills to provide a special ministry for women at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. A strong core group of 10 women have been meeting at the church on Fridays for about three weeks, and the changes have already begun, Ripley said. Several of the
women have gotten jobs, and a new, more positive attitude has emerged on the faces of the women as they listen to and learn from one another. Their first lesson is perhaps the most important: they are not alone. After suffering in silence, lacking a support system or even knowing how to find one, the women are learning that their problems have solutions. Just speaking about whatever is bothering them out loud to a sympathetic ear often works wonders toward lightening their load. Whether they are facing a divorce or other major life stressor, or just trying to get by week to week on a limited budget, the women are coming to see themselves not as victims but as the architects WOMEN’S, Page A
(1,000 feet) and/or pumping relay stations (1.5 miles from an approved water source, as defined by the National Fire Prevention Association) in determining whether additional fire protection measures are needed. “There’s other ways to skin this cat,” Figoli said. But Garland said that with the larger hoses his department is using, the 1,000-foot standard allows for 250gallons-per-minute, which should be adequate, even though it’s half the 500-gallon-per-minute flow rate the
NFPA advises using. After the Fire Suppression Committee’s first attempt at an ordinance requiring mandatory sprinkler systems for all new construction was shot down by developers, Garland said, “The proposal that we had has been substantially changed” and offers more flexibility in meeting the requirement. At a multi-agency fire drill in August 2012, “We’ve proved we can do a mile and a half (with a pumping relay station) and get that adequate flow.” Only if the FIRE, Page A
BN wins 5 awards The Bridgton News received five Better Newspaper Contest awards Saturday at the Maine Press Association’s annual conference held at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel in Bar Harbor. Winning selections included (The News competed in the large weekly newspaper division): Continuing Story (14 entries), second place to Staff Writer Gail Geraghty on her coverage of the Avesta housing issue (May 17, June 21, Sept. 27 and Nov. 8, 2012). Judge Mark Davis of the Valley News in West Lebanon, N.H., wrote, “Covered an issue that was clearly important to the community. Sensitive with clarity and intelligence. Readers were well served.” Feature Story (15 entries), second place to Publisher Wayne E. Rivet on his Jan. 24, 2013 story, “An honor long overdue.” Judge Carol Robidoux, local editor at Patch.com in Manchester, N.H., wrote, “Wonderful take AWARDS, Page A
The Bridgton News EXPANDING THE MINISTRY — Deb Ripley stands in front of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Bridgton with its pastor, Father Craig Hacker. As part of the church’s mission to offer outreach to the community, Ripley is offering her services as a Professional Life Coach to women who meet in weekly support groups at the church.
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