CDBG projects — ‘Pocket park’ out, board moves funds to Oak Street upgrade
Executive Director: Elizabeth Shane (volunteer, no stipend)
Request: $7,000 ($200 on backpacks and $6,800 for food items)
Description: The Backpack Program feeds low income families. Every Friday of the school year, identified students take a backpack full of non-perishable, nutritious food home and eat when the school meals program is unavailable. The backpacks are delivered to participating children by a volunteer and Academic leader (Elizabeth Shane) in their locker as they leave Friday or before a long break.
“Backpack food programs are one way to provide needed food to children who would otherwise not have adequate access to food during the weekend or schools breaks. This program will provide enough food to replace the meals that children would receive at school.”
Cost per bag estimated at $15, and would be given the students for 37 weeks.
Who served: Low to moderate income families with school-age children; the program is expected to serve 30 families. Funds will be used to purchase food needed to run the program from September 2020 to June 2021.
Community Resource Navigator at Bridgton Community Center
Project Director: Loretta Ferraro
Request: $9,000 (total program budget, $11,300); CDBG funding to cover one employee.
Who served: Estimate 100 (95% low to moderate income residents of Bridgton) Program objectives: Assist with applications and reapplications for local, state and federal services; referrals to appropriate organizations and institutions to address long-range problems; provide Lake Region Explorer Bus passes.
Bridgton Food Pantry at former United Methodist Church basement.
Executive Director: Penni Robbins (volunteer since 2007)
Request: $7,500 (total program budget, $14,900)
Who served: Low income, disabled seniors; 274 served; average 660 pounds of food per week Pantry has 12 volunteers
Need for Project: Bridgton’s food insecurity rate is 15.7%, which represents about 830 individuals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reports that 13.6% of Maine households are food insure — a rate higher than the national average of 11.7%. According to the U.S. Census (2015), Bridgton’s poverty rate is 20.4% compared to the 13% poverty rate of Maine.
“The mission of the Food Pantry is to provide both fresh nutritious healthy food options as well as shelf-stable products.”
Summer Rec/Teen Summer Day program, Town of Bridgton Recreation Department Executive Director: Gary Colello
Request: $11,775 (total program budget, $56,815); eight teen scholarships, five elementary scholarships
Who Served: 98 one-week full-time scholarships (14 per week); $125 per week for elementary, $135 for teens The Summer Day program serves up to 80 children ages 5 to 15 for seven weeks.
(East) Main Street Pocket Park, Town of Bridgton
Request: $26,300 (total project budget, $30,900) to refurbish unmanaged small land lot owned by the town; provide access to Stevens Brook in a peaceful setting; seating and eating area for users. Project would be managed by the town’s Public Service Department (Public Works).
“The east side of Main Street is undergoing a large streetscape upgrade to include sidewalks, tree plantings and streetlamp. The upgrades provide a perfect opportunity to enhance the area that has not received attention for some time. The location of the project is currently an unmanaged town lot with overgrown bamboo and wet areas that prevent access to one of the town’s prime assets, Stevens Brook. Parks exist throughout west Main Street area for residents to enjoy, but in this historically low-income extension of Main Street, parks are absent. This small pocket park will provide a place where families and other residents of the area can gather, picnic and fish and swim in the small brook.”
Oak Street Streetscape, Town of Bridgton Request: $97,600 (total project budget, $103,400) Project: Replacing paving and lighting (three new street lamps, same as Main Street street lamps) along Oak Street for sidewalk (about 800 feet, 5 feet wide comprising full length of Oak Street) between (East) Main Street and Kansas Road. Estimates: $81,600 for sidewalks, plus $21,000 for street lamps, administration $800.
“The road is heavily traveled at times coinciding with events at Harmon Field and throughout the day as the link between this part of Main Street and Kansas Road. There is a safety concern regarding pedestrian travel; the new sidewalk and lighting will increase safety and remove blight caused by the existence of the dilapidated sidewalk.”
By Wayne E. Rivet
Staff Writer
Timing is everything.
Selectman Bear Zaidman liked Community Development Director Linda LaCroix’s idea of developing a “pocket park” as a way to enhance (East) Main Street, but now is not the right time in his mind.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the world right now and people are up against it,” Zaidman said. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea at this time.”
Zaidman at last week’s public hearing regarding how Bridgton should spend Community Development Block Grant money suggested selectmen table the pocket park idea and move those funds to the Oak Street project, which is also up for CDBG money.
If the town decided against using all of its allotted CDBG money, those funds would be allocated to other communities.
Selectwoman Carmen Lone asked if Bridgton failed to utilize all of its eligible money could the town’s funding figure be lowered next year?
Town Manager Robert Peabody said “this is the first year I’ve heard it may not be true, but I would rather err on the side of caution and use the money” the town has been scheduled to receive.
While agreeing that concerns raised were “valid,” LaCroix suggested that $6,000 be used to landscape the property and move $24,000 to the Oak Street project.
“It’s going to take a year to get rid of the bamboo,” she said.
At a previous meeting, Zaidman felt the town should target funds to address maintenance needs at existing parks (such as kiosk roofing and railings at Pondicherry Park), while also placing some attention to other trouble spots, such as creating a sidewalk along Willett Road (thus offering a safer connection for pedestrians from South High Street heading to Hannaford or the entrance to Pondicherry Park).
“I appreciate all of your efforts,” Zaidman told LaCroix. He added, “I’m not against a park, but I want to preserve what we have.”
The Willett Road sidewalk is estimated at $130,000, which Zaidman wondered if it could be funded through CDBG money as a three-year project.
“It’s a dangerous situation,” Zaidman described the current walking situation along Willett Road, and the need of a sidewalk.
LaCroix said the proposed park site is “too small” under Land Use regulations to build a residence. Through past experiences, LaCroix has seen the development of “pocket parks” helped increase the real estate values of nearby properties.
“The land is not being utilized. If we invest some money there, it would be used and enjoyed,” LaCroix said. She added that since this section of town had been “neglected” in recent years (which is now being addressed by streetscape), the development of a pocket park would be another improvement gesture.
Board chairman Lee Eastman asked if abutters had been approached about possibly purchasing the land, which would then return the property to the tax rolls? No discussions on this option have occurred.
During walks to discuss easements needed for streetscape, LaCroix received “good feedback” about the park proposal.
“One gentleman said he would enjoy it,” LaCroix said.
Ultimately, LaCroix was fine with whatever direction selectmen decided to head in.
If the town does spend $6,000 in CDBG money to “dress up” the property, Peabody said the town would no longer be in position to sell it. If it did sell, the town would have to pay back CDBG money. If selectmen do want to pursue a possible sale, Peabody suggested that no CDBG money be used at the site.
Selectmen voted 5-0 against the pocket park proposal, and agreed to shift the $26,300 to the Oak Street project.
There was little discussion regarding the other CDBG-funded programs — Back Pack Program at Stevens Brook Elementary, Navigator Program at the Bridgton Community Center, Bridgton Food Pantry and Bridgton Rec Summer Camp scholarships (see sidebar descriptions). Selectmen approved those projects 5-0.
In other matters, Attorney Peter Malia (representing CN Brown) asked for board discussion regarding the “curb cut” planned in front of the Big Apple store on Main Street. Malia said the existing plan could prove as “problematic” for the store.
Selectmen instructed the town manager to ask that sidewalk construction in that area be delayed until officials could discuss the matter at its April 28 meeting.
• Selectman Bear Zaidman said the board had hoped to see the First and Last Resort Motel be demolished before Memorial Day. Since there were no bids on the property, one creative way to dispose of the tax-acquired building and land might be to use an “online auction,” Zaidman suggested.
“I’d like to see the matter taken care of,” he said.
• The Planning Board and Selectboard will hold a joint public hearing at 5 p.m. this Thursday, April 16, 2020 via virtual meeting to accept oral and written comments on the proposed amendments to the Land Use Ordinance and amendments to Bridgton ordinances to allow and regulate certain marijuana establishments.
