Community Christmas Fair in Denmark; Sleeping with the Critters; Adopt a Child drive Section B
Player of Year
Inside News
Olivia Deschenes rebounds from ACL tear to shine in her final H.S. field hockey season
Calendar . . . . . . . 4B-5B Classifieds . . . . . . 4D-5D Country Living . . . 1B-6B Directory . . . . . . . . . . 3D
Page 1C
Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 4A Opinions . . . . . . . 1D-6D Police/Court . . . . . 5D-6D Sports . . . . . . . . . 1C-6C Student News . . . . . . 6D Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 4C
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 148, No. 48
24 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
November 30, 2017
(USPS 065-020)
fail to sell, locals would pick up disposal costs. McHatton, however, took the glass half full view. He noted that items dropped off by out-of-towners could sell and boost the town’s revenue. As for illegal dumping by nonresidents, McHatton knows it will happen from time to time, but “90%” of the people abide by the rules. Board Chairman Greg Watkins questioned how diligently Transfer Station staff checks whether people dumping trash and recyclables indeed possess dump stickers. “Look at the windshield of cars. No sticker, you can’t dump. Good-bye,” Selectman Bear Zaidman said. Peabody will review the transfer station policy and address what changes might be needed. He will present the findings at the board’s next meeting, Dec. 12. In other board business, Lost in the shuffle. Blaine Chapman admitted he was a little “confused” regarding an e-mail he received from Board Chairman Greg Watkins regarding the return of registration fees to the Easy Rider Snowmobile Club. In the past, the club received $6.62 for every registration and had been awarded additional funding from the town. Then, selectmen changed the process. All “outside agencies” have to fill out a form prior to budget sea-
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Town not liable for missing stone
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY OR BIGGER HEADACHE? Should Bridgton open up The Store at the Transfer Station to out-of-town residents, or could monitoring who is using the property become a headache for town staff? (Photo by Eric Gulbrandsen) son outlining the request for funding. The Easy Riders, which had received $1,800 in past years, fell into the outside agency group. Somehow, the Easy Riders
didn’t get the memo, and did not receive the additional funds. Selectman Bob McHatton corrected the matter. “They are a small club and
$2,000 means a lot to them,” said McHatton, who suggested officials approve taking $2,000 from the town’s contingency fund and give SELECTMEN, Page 3A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Apparently, a ground marker stone in the Naples Town Cemetery is gone. And, the family approached the town, through a letter to the local selectmen, requesting that the town replace it. “It was ground marker stone from a family that has been generations in this community,” according to Selectman Bob Caron II. The topic — stolen cemetery stone — was on the agenda under new business during the Naples Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday. “I think what was being asked of us is: are we going to replace it? The ordinance is clear that we don’t replace the stones,” Chairman Jim Grattelo said. Essentially, because of the ordinance, the solution might not be as easy as budgeting more money for cemetery maintenance “We would have to draft a new ordinance,” Grattelo said. The chairman looked around and asked board member if something similar STONE, Page 2A
Bridgton asked to take over part of forest land
End to musical chairs, for now By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — It’s been a while since the town manager seat had someone sitting in it. The seat has been empty since September. This Monday, the seating arrangement at the Naples Board of Selectmen meeting was different — different and temporary. The newly-contracted Interim Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz was doing one of his required duties — attending the selectmen’s meetings — for the first time since he was sworn in on Nov. 21. First off, Berkowitz wanted to make it clear that this was temporary. He had no plans to come out of retirement. The interim job was just that, he said, for the time being, until a town manager is hired. “I am not interested in the full-time position,” Berkowitz said. He indicated that he has been asked if he is okay with being retired or would he rather apply for the town manager vacancy. He has replied to those people “I am retired,” he said. At the start of Monday’s meeting, Chairman Jim Grattelo introduced Berkowitz. “Mitch is here tonight. He will be attending the selectmen’s meetings. We welcome him aboard while we are hiring,” Grattelo said. During the course of its meeting, the board did not discuss town manager candidates or talk about a timeline for interviews or hiring.
www.bridgton.com
Gone
Open ‘Store’ to more shoppers? By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer A sign outside “The Store” says, “Your unwanted items are valuable to someone.” The store at Bridgton’s Transfer Station brings in about $25,000 a year, and Selectman Robert McHatton wonders if that figure could climb if more out-of-towners were to shop there. Currently, a sign is posted at the facility’s entrance that restricts access to the station only to Bridgton residents who display a sticker on their vehicles. McHatton would like to see that sign removed, allowing “outsiders” access to The Store. He noted that the big board at the entrance outlines hours of operation as well as disposal being limited to residents possessing dump stickers. The existing Transfer Station policy was approved in 2009, which requires stickers to access the property. Selectmen, however, can change the policy. Town Manager Bob Peabody pointed out that allowing access to nonresidents could pose “monitoring” problems from who is tossing garbage into the trash compactor to what is being dropped off at the store. If items dropped off at the store are not sold over a period of time, they are disposed of — at a cost to local taxpayers. If people from other towns bring items to the store, and those articles
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer When Loon Echo Land Trust acquired 1,488 acres — now known as the Perley Mills Community Forest — it initially wanted to gift 938 acres to Denmark and 550 acres to Bridgton. Bridgton, however, declined ownership. So, Loon Echo gifted the entire piece to Denmark, and Denmark paid yearly taxes of $3,275 on the 550-acre tract to the Town of Bridgton. Taxes on the property are $1,217 per year for Denmark on the 938 acres, or $1.30 per acre compared to Bridgton’s $5.96 per acre cost. Now, Denmark would like to back away from that tax commitment, so LELT Executive Director Thom Perkins has approached Bridgton selectmen about the town reconsider-
ing its earlier decision. “The Town of Denmark has investigated ways to address this discrepancy and harmonize the tax rates, but has been stymied by the fact that the two towns are in different counties (Denmark in Oxford County and Bridgton in Cumberland). The town has explored various options to divest themselves of the disproportionate tax burden, even contemplating the stopping of tax payments and allowing the town of Bridgton to take the property for lack of tax payments,” Perkins wrote the board. Bridgton Town Manager Bob Peabody suspects the town rejected taking ownership of the property, which under the LELT easement permanently restricts most development, due to the loss of tax dollars. Perkins pointed out that Bridgton could see LAND, Page 3A
Naples board addresses resident’s erosion questions
INTERIM TOWN MANAGER — Mitch Berkowitz stands in the meeting room in the Naples Town Hall. (Photo courtesy of Town of Naples) At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the Town of Naples released a press release that narrowed down to four weeks the timeline for filling the vacancy. “The Town is in the hiring process to hire a full-time town manager. Guided by the efforts of Dave Barrett of the Maine Municipal Association, the board of selectmen will be interviewing several applicants over the next week in hopes of making a selection by the end of the year,” the press release said. The press release explained the reason behind hiring an interim town manager and pro-
vided some basic information about Berkowitz. The selectmen are “continuing their hiring process for a new town manager. During this time, the board has also engaged the services of Mitchell Berkowitz as their Interim Town Manager. Prior to coming to Naples, Berkowitz had been an interim town manager for the Town of Jackman, Maine,” the press release said. “Berkowitz will work a part-time schedule, addressing several pending issues and preparing for the arrival of the town’s next town manager,” it said.
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — One resident was concerned about the future sales of waterfront homes that have eroding shores or a high-water mark that places the home within the 100-foot zone. Buzz Morton told the Naples Board of Selectmen that he was worried about property owners being requested to remove portions of their homes — if the Shoreland Zone measurements changed due to erosion or rising water levels. He said he has noticed erosion of the shoreline around lakes in the area. “There needs to be some talk about that. Address it so people aren’t left out in the cold,” Morton said, asking, “Again, have the rules changed about the setback?” Chairman Jim Grattelo said nobody would be asked to remove a home or deck
if the original structure is closer than the 100-foot mark because of natural changes. “If you have an existing structure, you are grandfathered,” Grattelo said. “If you haven’t altered it, they cannot make you tear down the structure because the 100foot setback has changed.” “If you have erosion, you can document it,” he said, adding the state environmental agency provides permits allowing people to move soil material to mitigate erosion. “I am not aware of anyone who has tried to sell their home…and the setback has
moved because of erosion,” Grattelo said. “There is erosion going on around the lakes,” he said. Morton agreed, saying, “We see it, but not every day.” Selectman Bob Caron II shared some information with Morton. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) “is very easy to work with in these situations. They work with the landowner quite extensively so that the landowner gets back” their shoreline that eroded, Caron said.
The Bridgton News Established 1870
P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Bridgton, ME 04009 207-647-2851 Fax: 207-647-5001 bnews@roadrunner.com