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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 150, No. 48
14 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
November 26, 2020
www.bridgton.com
(USPS 065-020)
95¢
Covid-19 cases close offices
BEING UPFRONT — The Naples Town Hall closed to the public after a town employee tested positive for COVID-19. The same thing has happened in Bridgton as the number of cases in rural Maine has risen during the month of November. (De Busk Photo)
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Prior to the month of November, the community of Naples had reported fewer than a handful of confirmed Covid-19 cases. Just this past week, positive cases have been popping up, bringing from five to almost 20 the confirmed number of infected people in Naples. That number is likely higher, but as of Tuesday morning when The News went to press, the CDC had not updated its map of Covid19 cases by zip code since Nov. 15. In addition to the closure of the Naples Town Hall, several eating establishments have closed. One restaurant, the The Galley Restaurant & Pub, closed after an employee tested positive, according to the company’s Facebook page. Meanwhile, Gary’s Olde Town Tavern closed to the public after news that
a patron — someone who works at the Naples Town Hall — had tested positive. Late last week, a Town of Naples employee tested positive for the virus, prompting the closure of the Naples Town Hall until December, according to Naples Town Manager John Hawley. “Town offices will need to be closed until Dec. 2 as all of the office staff were in lengthy close proximity to the infected staff,” Hawley said. “Staff has moved to remote delivery of services effectively Monday and until further notice.” The town employee “currently has a cough, elevated temperature and body aches,” Hawley said on Friday. That same employee was still resting at home with “only minor cold-like symptoms,” Hawley said on Monday. “We believe she was exposed this past weekend,” Hawley said, referring to the
weekend of Nov. 14 and Nov. 15. One of the activities this employee did that weekend was going out to eat with friends at Gary’s in Naples. “I don’t really know any details other than there was a group of friends there [at Gary’s] and my employee was one of them,” Hawley said. Currently, the Town Hall is locked to the public and there are notices on the front door. Meanwhile, some town employees opted to be tested for Covid-19 but all are in quarantine. “All of the staff that has direct contact with the employee have been tested except two at this point. All have tested negative. The two [who] have not tested are waiting to see if they get any symptoms. One of the other employees that tested negative has come down with a cough and sore throat and has scheduled another test,”
Hawley said. “All of the staff have quarantined and are working remotely from home. We will all be out of the office until Dec. 2 unless another positive confirmation changes that. According to the CDC, we are not allowed to test out of quarantine, meaning a negative test does not clear us to return to work.” Town staff sanitized the office space last week before going into quarantine and working from home, Hawley said. Last week, a Bridgton town employee also tested positive. That town office has been closed to the public until Thursday, Dec. 3. According to Bridgton Town Manager Bob Peabody, there was one town employee who tested positive for Covid-19. He declined to say how that person’s health was. He declined to say what prompted the person to get tested. Peabody cited employOFFICES, Page 2A
Facts over hearsay — Naples waits for CDC probe By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The chairman of the Naples selectmen is worried about separating hearsay from facts when it comes to coronavirus cases. This is especially true after a Naples town employee tested positive late last week for the virus that has caused a global pandemic. “There are a lot of rumors going around town. There is a lot of information. It is important that we get the facts, that we wait to react until we have the facts,”
Chairman Jim Grattelo said. The Center for Diseases Control (CDC) has been notified; and a Contact Tracing Investigator has been assigned to the case in Naples, he said. Naples Health Officer Renee Carter is the liaison for communication between the town and the CDC. “Because this happened over the weekend, today [Monday] has been the first day that the town has been able to contact the CDC,” Grattelo said. “The CDC is involved so that we get the
actual facts. The CDC has to make this determination. We have nothing to do with determining whether this is an official outbreak or not. The CDC is hot on this trail because they want to know if it’s a big issue or a small issue.” In Naples, five businesses have closed either in response to positive cases or just to be cautious. The American Legion Post 155 was closed to the public on Veterans Day; and on Friday, the Legion closed the building to its members.
The four businesses to temporarily close are: Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern, The Galley Restaurant & Pub, Naples Variety and Marie’s Kitchen in the Heart of Naples. “Out of an abundance of caution, these five businesses closed and the town appreciates this,” Grattelo said. “Those business owners have taken it upon themselves to close their businesses, which is good. The CDC or the state health inspector has not closed them down.”
The closure of the town hall happened on Friday afternoon. Over the weekend, Grattelo sent an e-mail to some of the selectmen, addressing his concerns about the rumor mill. He also talked about the possible need for an emergency meeting, depending on the outcome of the CDC’s investigation. “I am sure you have all heard by now that Naples is becoming a hot spot for new cases,” the e-mail began. “The rumors throughout
town are crazy. If even some of them are true, Naples is in for a rocky road. It’s very important we get verified facts rather than react to rumors.” During a phone interview, Grattelo said the next course of action is unknown “until the CDC does their investigation and contact tracing.” The best place to get official news and update is the town’s website or the Town of Naples Facebook page. That will be where that PROBE, Page 2A
Captain Jack’s to leave deck up By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The deconstruction of a deck in the shoreland zone of Brandy Pond has been delayed due to Covid-19. The Naples Board of Selectmen allowed Captain Jack’s to keep its deck in place through the winter. However, the deck will not be open for business until owner Jimmy Allen comes before the board with a request to do so. The request was granted last week although there were grumblings when the deck was first constructed this spring that it better come down this autumn. Allen made his request of the board, saying he would prefer to keep the deck up until it is clear how Covid-19 will impact restaurants this spring. The selectmen were provided a copy of an engineer’s report on the stability of the structure. “I am here to see if we can get you guys to extend the deck being up until next spring. No one knows where Covid is going right now,” Allen said. “I hate to take it down in November only to put it back up in May or June. I am asking to extend keeping the deck up through the spring until we can see what is going on.” Chairman Jim Grattelo said, “It comes down to two issues. If we think there are Covid restrictions that are going to take place after Memorial Day next year, which is six or seven months from now, then one could argue that it would makes sense to keep the deck up.” DECK, Page 3A
Phones breaking up conversation By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Over the years, the phrase “drop me a line” has meant to send a short letter or even make a phone call. At the Casco Town Hall, it’s the phone service that has been dropping lines. The phones are cutting out while people are talking so that town staff on the other end only hear some of the words that are being said, according to Casco’s Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish. A professional technician is working on it, he said. “The phones are working fine now. They are functioning. We had a problem. We were losing calls. That has all been resolved,” Gerrish said on Tuesday morning. “It doesn’t happen all the time. Once in a while, it drops a call.” PHONES, Page 3A
DIVE TEAM prepares to sweep part of the Cushman Pond shoreline to see if milfoil exists. The battle to eradicate the invasive plant from the 32-acre Lovell pond has run over two decades.
Possible bait fishing return raises Cushman Pond concerns
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer LOVELL — Jim Buck worries years of persistent work and a boatload of money could be at risk. When divers checked hot spots for milfoil in Cushman Pond, they were delighted to find zero infestations. The fight to preserve the pristine 32-acre pond, however, is hardly over. Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife plans to reopen Cushman Pond to both commercial and recreational bait fishing. A year-round ban on commercial bait dealers was enacted in 2001, and the pond was closed to recreational bait collection in 2002. “We felt blindsided by the IFW,” Buck said. Despite pleas to retain the bans from Cushman Pond residents, along with the Lovell Invasive Plant Prevention
Committee and Kezar Lake Watershed Association (KLWA), IFW is moving forward with the reopening, citing the need to be “consistent” in its policies. IFW Regional Fisheries biologist James Pellerin recently took part in a 40-minute Zoom meeting with Buck and other concerned citizens of Cushman Pond. Pellerin pointed out that over 100 proposed changes to IFW fishing rules were under consideration, and the only revision drawing dispute was bait fishing on Cushman Pond. “I am here to here to create awareness in both directions. I have no authority to negotiate,” Pellerin told the group. “The department takes public comments, and considers them in the decision making. We are all on the same team fighting the same battle.” State officials were noti-
fied by Gerry and Mary (Meg) Nelson that a milfoil problem was percolating at Cushman Pond. When the Nelsons were canoeing on the north shore of the outlet cove, near the dam and town landing, they noticed strange plants growing in the pond. After some research, the Nelsons determined the plants were variable leaf milfoil. “At first, it was thought that the plants were only near the launching ramp but after further investigation, they would found throughout the pond. Many suspect that it was com-
mercial bait fishermen using the same nets and traps in many pond that introduced the milfoil to Cushman Pond,” reads an entry in the Lovell Town Report of 2011, which was dedicated to the Nelsons for their “valiant efforts in sprearheading the process of eradicating variable leaf milfoil from Cushman Pond. Cushman Pond is located in the northeast corner of Lovell. It has one public launch area and does not allow motorized watercraft. BAIT, Page 4A
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