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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 147, No. 50
24 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
December 15, 2016
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Busy office could push Adult Ed out door By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Madelyn Litz knows the key to putting adults back on the education path to help them achieve a better career or job is providing local access to programming and testing. Litz sees the lower level of the Bridgton Municipal Complex as the perfect satellite location for adult ed services. Bridgton officials, however, might feel otherwise. With the Memorandum of Understanding and Use
of Facilities Agreement between Adult Ed and the town set to expire at the end of this month, opening discussions about renewal Tuesday night raised questions whether it might be time for Litz to seek out a new location. In a written report to selectmen, Deputy Town Manager Georgiann Fleck cited scheduling conflicts, which has forced town business and training sessions to be moved elsewhere, and an “ineffective and inefficient use of two rooms” as reasons
to not renew the lease and suggest SAD 61 find a “more suitable, alternative site.” Since the town utilizes school sports fields and facilities, SAD 61 reached out to the town about creating a satellite location for Adult Ed, targeting the lower conference room and adjacent meeting room at the municipal complex. No fee is charged SAD 61 for use of the space, which is used every Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Services include official testing for the HiSET exam (high
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Looking to add a little spice to the Winter Carnival, the Chamber of Commerce plans to include ice sculpturing and an ice bar to the popular February event. Bridgton selectmen, however, were a little “icy” on the idea of serving alcohol as part of the festivities at Highland Lake Beach. “I’m not too thrilled” about serving alcohol, Selectman Bob McHatton said at Tuesday night’s
board meeting. New selectman Bob Murphy echoed that thought, feeling with many young children at the event, alcohol does not need to be part of the equation. Chairman Greg Watkins wondered if policy might prevent alcohol use there, since the town has signs posted at the beach area prohibiting alcohol use. Town Manager Robert Peabody, however, pointed out that alcohol use is allowed at the town hall
under the provisions of a licensed caterer. “It’s really up to you folks,” Peabody said. The manager felt the ice bar concept is “pretty cool.” Selectman Bear Zaidman wondered if the ice bar would be positioned inside a tent, where alcohol use could be monitored and contained. Madelyn Litz, who was in attendance representing the Chamber, said a tent would be used and the ice ICE BAR, Page 2A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Bobbi Berard was a young girl when her mom told her that a portion of the land that was part of her grandmother’s homestead would one day be hers. Berard’s family tree extends back to the union of the Edwards and the Crockett families through marriage. Those are two prominent families in Casco’s history. Despite her mother’s prediction, years later when Berard was living in New
Hampshire and raising four children, she sold her lot to an uncle so she could pay her mortgage in the Granite State. A few years ago, as a divorcée, she returned to the Pine Tree State. She learned that the property she once owned had fallen into foreclosure through the tax lien process. The lot is located on Connell Acres Lane, which is accessible from Mayberry Hill Road. Earlier this year, the lot ended up on a list of taxacquired properties that was
being thoroughly reviewed by the Casco Board of Selectmen. Actually, this spring, Berard provided a written bid for the property but the board rejected it because it was too low. The board was aiming for 40 percent of the market value plus back taxes owed. On Dec. 6, Berard reclaimed her family’s former lot and assumed the responsibility of cleaning up ELF SERVES ICE CREAM — One of the hard-working volunteers scoops up ice the debris left behind. Her cream for the crowd during the Kid’s Christmas Party at the American Legion Post 155 (De Busk Photo) mother’s statement rang true. on Saturday. PROPERTY, Page 3A
Selectmen little ‘icy’ on Carnival bar idea
school equivalency diploma), academic remediation, college placement testing and college transitions/ career advising workshops and activities. When selectmen asked Litz, who is the director of Lake Region and Fryeburg Area Adult Ed, whether the services could be held at Stevens Brook Elementary, possibly space at the old Bridgton Hospital or the Bridgton Public Library, Litz said many adults who struggled or left school for a host of reasons shy away
from returning to local school facilities, which is why Adult Ed looks to develop satellites outside of traditional educational institutions. She did approach the library early on, but learned for one that it is a private, not town-owned entity, and received a cool reception. Since Bridgton is the “hub” of the Lake Region, the town office complex spot has worked well, Litz said. In her report, Fleck noted that communication has been poor between the town and Adult Ed, point-
ing out that when SAD 61 is not using the rooms, town officials were not notified, thus training sessions or staff meetings that could have been scheduled in that space, were not. “Over this year, municipal meetings have had to be rescheduled and/or arrangements made to meet off site,” Fleck wrote. “Since the lease agreement became effective, I began monitoring the use of the room by SAD 61. There are days when the rooms are not used SELECTMEN, Page 2A
Resident buys back grandmother’s property
Senior sand program to lend buckets, help By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Even the most athletic individual might struggle a little bit when carrying five-gallon
buckets filled with sand. It is a laborious task to get the sand onto driveways and walkways during the winter. Not to mention those types of conditions also
come with ice underfoot. The Town of Naples is initiating a program to assist senior citizens in the community with obtaining road sand.
The program was discussed during the Naples Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday night. According to Naples Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak, the senior sand program would provide senior citizens with smaller buckets of sand. For those people who need help getting buckets into their vehicle, on-duty personnel at
the fire station could give a helping hand, he said. The town — like many others in the region — already provides residents with enough sand to fill two five-gallon buckets per snowstorm. Residents can get the sand, which is mixed with road salt, at the Sand Shed behind the Naples Fire Station. For residents of Naples, it
is a self-service system. When the senior sand program starts, in some cases, elderly residents could have the buckets containing a sand-salt mix delivered. However, the exact details of how that would work have not been set in stone. Selectman Rich Cebra introduced the idea during the meeting, saying it would SAND, Page 5A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The new business was old business during the last Naples Board of Selectmen meeting of 2016. Recently, a resident had spoken in favor of snow removal on the Causeway sidewalks and boardwalks. It is a maintenance issue that gets brought up periodically. Snow removal of walkways on the Causeway was even a budget item at a Town Meeting a decade ago, and it was voted down. LAKESIDE DAIRY BAR DEMOLISHED...but a new and greatly improved ice cream On Monday, Chairman shop adjacent to Long Lake Marina in Naples will be built, and weather permitting, be Bob Caron II introduced the ready for business in April. See story on Page 2. (Rivet Photo) topic under “new business.”
“Winter maintenance on the Causeway — we are talking about the possibility of keeping the sidewalks clean. I know this has been brought up multiple times since I was on the board,” Caron said. Watson added, “It’s been brought up at town meeting.” The costs and the benefits of snow removal on
the Causeway sidewalks were talked about at Town Meeting then, and the majority of residents were against it, Watson said. Selectman Rich Cebra described serving on the Causeway Revitalization Committee (CRC) which was formed prior to the SIDEWALKS, Page 5A
Board: ‘Let sidewalks sleep in the winter’
The Bridgton News Established 1870
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