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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 150, No. 47
16 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
November 25, 2021
Legal Notices . . . . . . . 2B
www.bridgton.com
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Harrison manager accepts S. Berwick job
IN FLIGHT — Harrison resident Peter Rearick sits in flight engineer’s seat (rear right) while the co-pilot and navigator are in their places. The photo was taken by the pilot; it was the crew that Rearick flew with during the summer of 2005 in Iraq. (Photo courtesy of Peter Rearick)
Vet: Prayers, planes go hand in hand
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer HARRISON — Flying an airplane — a person might feel a little closer to God. In the case of Harrison resident Peter Rearick, who is retired from the United States Air Force, there was a moment in the skies above Iraq that stands out in his mind as spiritual. It was a brief acknowledgment of God’s presence and protection during a crisis in which he had to do his job. Also, he experienced thankfulness to come out alive. “I was a flight engineer on a C-130,” Rearick said. “It’s another big transport plane with four engines. My job is to sit right behind the pilot and the co-pilot and just make sure the airplane is working right. [I] keep an eye on the engines and the fuel and the generators and all that stuff
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer HARRISON — Family means a lot to Tim Pellerin, so when the opportunity to take a town manager’s job in southern Maine recently surfaced, which would move him closer to his children and two grand-daughters, he looked into it. “I’m happy here. I wasn’t looking,” Pellerin said last Friday. “I received an e-mail about this job and asked to interview. I thought about it, and said ‘okay.’ I wasn’t going to be upset if I didn’t get the job because I like the job here and I like the Select Board. I have the best staff I’ve ever had. The staff is the best of the best. It makes the job easy when you have a Super Bowl team. I can’t thank the staff enough and the citizens for their support.” Pellerin emerged as the leading candidate in South Berwick, and when his terms for hire were accepted
TAKING A NEW JOB — After 3 1/2 years, Tim Pellerin is leaving Harrison to become Town Manager in South Berwick. on Oct. 26, he agreed to take the job. “Change is hard, and the decision was not easy, but in the end, I felt for all the positive reasons it was the right choice for me and my family…It is with mixed emotions that I inform you
that I have submitted my formal notice of resignation to the Board of Selectmen,” wrote Pellerin in a letter to his staff on Oct. 27. “I have truly enjoyed my time here in Harrison and would like to thank each one of you for your dedication, effort and cooperation in making the Town of Harrison a great success. Harrison is a great community, and the employee staff is the best I have ever worked with. Together, we have made great strides forward with many successes that have benefitted the citizens and community both, all because of each of you.” Pellerin signed a threeyear contract. His resignation is effective Friday, Dec. 10. “I have enjoyed working for Harrison and with each one of you. Individually, you have each made a difference in the lives of the citizens we serve. I’m glad MANAGER, Page 5A
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer As the cost of disposing household waste continues to climb, what is the fair way to slow the flow? Bridgton’s Recycling Committee has been studying the question for months, and believes the fair and equitable approach is Pay-Per-Bag. In a workshop meeting with the Select Board last Wednesday, Recycling Committee members had leaders review a proposed ordinance and fielded a variety of questions. For one, the line regarding how much it will cost to purchase trash bags is
presently blank. RC chairwoman Sally Chappell pointed out that the fee is set by the Select Board. Town Manager Bob Peabody said the approach is appropriate, since the figure can be adjusted yearly based on costs. How much would a bag cost? Officials will delve into the total cost of waste disposal, from the operation of the Transfer Station, to transporting waste to ecomaine, to the tipping fee. Then, officials would decide whether to recoup all costs or a percentage. Admittedly, the idea of switching to a Pay-Per-
Bag approach could hinge on the bag cost, since many voiced in a past attempt to go to this method concerns about paying a rumored $5 per bag. Price could range from $1 to $2.50 to $3.50. RC members would like to see a firm figure decided upon before the question goes to voters at the June 2022 annual town meeting. Bags would come in two sizes, 13 and 30 gallon, and be sold at some local stores, as well as the Transfer Station. Peabody pointed out that when the Select Board decides upon a bag cost, the figure will PAY PER, Page 2A
support a renovated gymnasium in that space. In late October, Harriman did a presentation at the beginning of selectmen’s meeting. The board discussed the matter over the course of two different meetings: On
method used when the town passed a marijuana moratorium and was in the middle of drafting an ordinance. It’s a good way to gauge what people in the community are thinking, Grattelo said. Selectman Ted Shane did not think the returns would
be that impressive. “There will be a small group of people who will return these things. But I guess it will give us some sort of direction,” Selectman Ted Shane said. “I think we were surCENTER, Page 3A
RC: Pay-Per-Bag is ‘fair & equitable’ option
FLARES FOR PROTECTION — In this photo, a C-130 release flares designed to decoy heat-seeking missiles away from the plane. (Photo courtesy of Peter Rearick) and the pressurization system, which is important. When you are flying up high where the air is thin, it is good to be able to breath. You don’t want to stop breathing when you’re flying the airplane.” “That brings me to my story,” he said. “In ’06 or ’07, we were
flying over Iraq doing our usual mission: Just delivering people and cargo wherever it needs to be delivered in Iraq. We were cruising along at about 18,000 feet — which is a normal altitude for us. It’s high enough so that the bad guys with the little PLANES, Page 3A
Naples delays public poll on proposed center By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — This town’s elected officials had a flyer ready to survey residents about their opinion of a proposed Naples Community Center and combined town hall. However, the Naples Board of Selectmen decided to wait on polling the public until revised numbers are released later this winter. “They aren’t necessarily new estimates. They are refined estimates. An esti-
mate was generated from the conceptual plan and now that the board has approved moving forward with the study, they refine the estimate to get it closer to what we could expect to pay,” according to Naples Town Manager John Hawley. For the past two years, the Naples Community Center Exploratory Committee has been meeting to review different options. The committee hired Harriman Associates, of Auburn, to do the sketch plans and cost
Casco sets date for special town meeting
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — With an eye toward next year, the Casco Board of Selectmen set the date for the Special Town Meeting, which puts public hearings during the month of December. There are some ordinance amendments that had not been completed in time to be included at the annual town meeting in June. There are some items that need to be addressed before annual town meeting in June 2022. Traditionally, the Town of Casco holds its Special Town Meeting in January for those can’t wait warrant articles as well as the ones that weren’t ready. The selectmen set the date of Jan. 18 for Casco’s Special Town Meeting. That is a Tuesday. Selectman Scott Avery had suggested getting the date on the calendar and he Recommended the third week in January. “It’s the third week of January. It gives us time to go through what we have and prepare a warrant-article draft for the meeting,” Avery said. CASCO, Page 3A
estimates. “When Harriman was originally hired, it was to get us through the concept plan phase. The additional phases which include refining the estimate does cost more but these are not unanticipated expenses. Harriman gave us a cost breakdown for each of the phases and as we move forward with each phase, we incur that additional expense,” Hawley said during an interview last week. “We need to have final estimates no later than February or March to factor additional expenses into the budget for next year,” he said. It is not certain whether the proposed community center will end up as a warrant article at annual town meeting or as a ballot question at the polls. But, that topic is something the selectmen have discussed. “It could go to either a town meeting or referendum vote. I suspect the select board will put it out for a referendum vote though,” Hawley said. The biggest catalyst that pushed the town to consider constructing a new building is the gym roof. It has been leaking for a number of years. One engineer’s report showed that the gym roof could not take heavy weight like snow and ice. Also, the electrical circuits were maxed out and would not
FOR THE PUBLIC — The sketches of a proposed community center and combined town hall are available for the public to view in the entrance area of the Naples Town Hall. (De Busk Photo) Oct. 25 and on Nov. 8. During the November meeting, Hawley handed out a draft of the postcard he planned to mail to households, polling people on the proposed community center. This idea was postponed. Chairman Jim Grattelo said the postcard poll was a
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