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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 147, No. 46
28 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
November 17, 2016
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 4D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Water decision Nov.
Residents call for a delay to study renewal By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer DENMARK — As heavy rain battered vehicles that filled the municipal and church parking lots, Laurie LaMountain voiced her concerns about Denmark renewing Poland Spring’s permit to extract water from Cold Spring. As she walked her dog, LaMountain remembered seeing markers being placed at one end of Long Pond. Those markers stood on dry land for two months. Similar stories and concerns were heard as residents impressed upon Denmark selectmen to delay a decision on renewing Poland Spring’s water extraction permit. When the two-hour plus hearing concluded, Selectmen Chairman Jay Transue informed the capacity crowd that a decision will be made at the board’s next meeting, set for Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the municipal building meeting room. “You’re going to need a
bigger space,” one resident said as the room began to clear. Indeed. Before the hearing opened, Transue informed those in attendance that the town’s fire chief had set a maximum number of 86 of those allowed in the meeting room, and no one could occupy the adjacent hallway. As people entered, they had to sign in and indicate if they were a resident or nonresident. When few chairs remained in the meeting room, Transue informed the crowd that nonresidents — who were not allowed to pose questions or make statements — would need to leave, giving up seats to residents. If nonresidents wished to stay, they could occupy a downstairs meeting room and ask someone to open a line of communication via telephone. Before a team of Poland Spring representatives gave an overview of their permit renewal request, as well as
PACKED HOUSE FOR POLAND SPRING PERMIT RENEWAL — The Denmark Municipal Building meeting room was filled to capacity Tuesday night as residents listened to a presentation by Poland Spring representatives as the company seeks renewal of its Cold Spring water extraction permit. Denmark selectmen will make a decision on the matter at their next meeting. Residents called for a delay to give more time to consider various concerns. Above, hydrologist John Rand (left) talks about the local watershed. (Rivet Photo) water level monitoring practices, Denmark Selectman Richard Snow announced that while he believes he could make an unbiased decision, he would recuse himself from any vote or involvement in the hearing because a family member is employed by Poland Spring. With Snow out of the pic-
ture, if the board (now down to two members, Transue and Richard Mason Jr.) had decided to make a decision Tuesday night, a split vote would reject the permit request. The Pitch Joshua Bowe, a certified geologist for Poland Spring, opened the hearing by cover-
ing a little history. Cold Spring is within the Beaver Brook watershed, which is about 4,640 acres in size. Beaver Brook flows from Beaver Pond to Pleasant Pond and then to the Saco River. A Poland Spring pamphlet includes a diagram of “Maine’s water cycle” and
defines a spring as “the location where groundwater (water that exists beneath the earth’s surface) naturally emerges from the ground.” Poland Spring withdraws water from two boreholes in Denmark — one was created in 2005 and the second in 2008. A pipeline runs to a WATER, Page 6A
Deputy on duty doesn’t sit well By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Casco resident Thomas Nile thinks that paying to have a deputy cover the town 40 hours a week is an unnecessary luxury that most townspeople cannot afford. “The extra deputy — as a taxpayer, I don’t support it,” Niles told the Casco Board of Selectmen during public participation time on Tuesday. “We have plenty of
coverage, and we pay for it,” he said. He said that the town already pays Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office — as many towns do through county taxes, and the current law enforcement coverage is sufficient in Casco. “This is a waste of taxpayers’ money. The elderly cannot afford it — they have to pay for prescriptions and food,” Niles said. The selectmen discussed
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — The number of emergencies that required a response from the local public safety department has increased dramatically this year compared to last year. There have been 100 more emergency service calls in the Town of Casco in 2016 than in 2015, according to Casco Fire Chief Jason Moen. Moen gave a department report to the Casco Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. He talked about the benefits of having two trained staff at the station around the clock, which began in July of this year. Also, Moen took some time to recommend that the town craft a marijuana moratorium in light of the potential passage of legalized recreational marijuana use in Maine. Casco should “consider a moratorium on marijuanagrowing establishments that might come up,” he said. “We don’t know how this is going to fall out,” he said referring to a possible recount. “But if it does (pass), I would like for the town to be prepared,” Moen said. Such a moratorium should include restrictions and allowances for medical marijuana growing facilities, he said.
Some of the buildings are being outfitted haphazardly, he said, citing growing facilities in which the electrical outlet system is not adequate, increasing the potential for a fire. He suggested that the people working on the moratorium take into consideration how the law would impact the town’s public safety infrastructure. Selectman Mary-Veinessa Fernandes said she had heard that election officials were in the process of recounting the ballots. She said that a board workshop was paramount. “I would like a workshop to discuss this. This is farreaching,” she said. The town should look at the language of moratoriums the have been adopted by other towns. The board should aim to create a moratorium that is thorough, instead of one that is written in haste, she added. Moen mostly discussed changes in the public safety department, and upcoming grants for equipment. “In July, we implemented the 24/7” Emergency Medical Services (EMS) staff at the Casco Fire and Rescue Department building, he said. “We are averaging 100 EMS calls above last year,” he said. “Our call volume has gone up consistently. We are consistently having paraBENEFITS, Page 2A
the concept of having a deputy on duty in the town. That item was on the agenda for Tuesday evening, but the topic was brought up earlier during public participation. The board decided to send the costs to the town’s budget committee. During a previous meet-
ing about three weeks ago, a representative from the CCSO, Patrol Capt. Scott Stewart, had given a presentation and provided the information including the costs to the board. The expenses for the first year, about $179,100, are DEPUTY, Page 3A
Fire Chief backs benefits for staff
SPECIAL WORK, SPECIAL BONDS — Bridgton Police Officer Phil Jones finds great satisfaction and personal rewards volunteering time for Special Olympics Maine and the annual law enforcement Torch Run. He will be representing Maine at the International Games in Austria this coming March.
One on One with...
Phil Jones
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer When Phil Jones learned he had been accepted to represent Maine at the International Special Olympic Games in Austria this coming March, he was overwhelmed. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But, there was a catch. While running a torch from province to province and giving speeches along the way would be no problem for the Bridgton Police Department officer, jumping into frigid lake water was something Phil Jones neither has done before nor something he looks forward to. But, the Special Olympians come first, and Officer Jones won’t let them down. He will take the plunge in Schladming, Austria. Officer Jones serves as BPD’s Torch Run Leg Leader and is a member of the Maine Torch Run Executive Council. “This plunge will involve law enforcement officers from all over the world as we help to officially begin the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games,” Officer Jones said. In March of 2017, Officer Jones will be setting out to PHIL, Page 3A
FATHER AND SON MOMENT — Younger brother Douglas Chute, 7, of Casco, catches sight of cameras while nine-year-old Killian Chute visits with dad Kyle Chute, near the Naples Veterans Monument. (De Busk Photo)
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