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New website for Scarborough Leader

Leader Editor — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:38:14 GMT

The Scarborough Leader is now available, in its entirety, on a new website, www.mainelymediallc.com.

Residents and those who live outside the area can get online access to virtually everything the Leader prints in the traditional weekly paper.

Advertising and special sections will also be shared online.

Haigis Parkway changes considered

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:37:01 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

The Scarborough Long Range Planning Committee is looking at zoning changes for parcels of land on either end of the Haigis Parkway, which connects the Maine Turnpike and Route 1.

The changes being considered come after a decade of waiting for the vision of the Haigis Parkway to come to fruition and in an effort to implement some of the changes recommended in the Comprehensive Plan.

“It was in response to updating the Comprehensive Plan, but it was also in response to the fact that it has been 10 or so years that the Haigis Parkway zone was last looked at and established,” said Scarborough Town Planner Dan Bacon. “We wanted to look at it with a critical eye and be more flexible in hopes that when the economy rebounds, we will see some development there.”

Mark Eyerman, president of Planning Decisions, a Maine-based firm helping the committee with the rezoning, said the committee has looked at several “iterations on how to deal with the Haigis Parkway” from the Maine Turnpike to Route 1.

While the proposed zoning changes are still in the preliminary phase, Bacon said the planning committee is in agreement in supporting the changes.

The two major sections of the Haigis Parkway impacted would be between Exit 42 of the Maine Turnpike and Payne Road and a section of the parkway between Scottow Hill Road, Route 1 and the Enterprise Business Park.

The idea at the Exit 42 section of the parkway would be changing the zoning of property that includes the Gateway Shoppes and Ginn Road from Haigis Parkway District to either B2 or B3.

Bacon explained at a March 8 meeting about the zoning change that the committee is not sure which zone district would be more appropriate for the property. In the B2 district, there is no limit on the size of a retail building, but doesn’t allow for mixed development, which combines residential and commercial uses. On the other hand, B3 allows for mixed development, but caps retail at 30,000 square feet. The committee recommends revising B3 so it allows for larger retail square footage as well as gas stations and drive-thru restaurants.

Tracy Perron, director of operations for Feldco, the company that owns and operates the Gateway Shoppes, said that area is well suited for larger retail establishments, or junior anchors, that would attract smaller retail businesses to the complex. Junior anchors are usually between 40,000 and 50,000 square feet.

Perron also said the mixture of commercial and residential development within the same complex is desirable for many people.

“Today’s workforce likes to live in close proximity to where they work and where they shop. They find that really appealing,” Perron said.

The rezoning of the section of the parkway between Scottow Hill Road and the Enterprise Business Park from Haigis Parkway District to B3 would bring it in line with the types of usage allowed along Route 1. There would also be a change that would allow elderly care and assisted living facilities in the B3 zone. That would mean those uses would be allowed not only in that zone—if rezoned—but also in other B3 zones in town, such as along section of Route 1 and Mussey Road near Eight Corners.

“Once you cross Scottow Hill Road, it is more conducive to what’s going on along Route 1,” Bacon said.

Aside from rezoning two sections of the parkway, the planning committee also recommends broadening what is allowed by right in the Haigis Parkway District by adding medical and diagnostic facilities; health clubs and personal services such as hair salons or dry cleaners; places of worship and places of assembly such as hotels or convention centers; assisted living and elderly care facilities; research and light industrial buildings and multi-family residences, if part of a commercial development.

The planning committee will review the proposed zoning changes again at its March 30 meeting. Bacon said it would then go before the Town Council sometime in April, when the formal zoning review process begins.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Planning board approves projects

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:35:04 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

The Planning Board has given its preliminary approval to two new housing projects in town, one off Holmes Road by Beech Ridge Motor Speedway and the other behind the Rock and Roll Diner off Broadturn Road.

Nancy St. Clair, a civil engineer representing Risbara Brothers Construc-tion Co., revealed a sketch plan of a 14-lot conservation subdivision development at 170 Two Rod Road at the March 12 Planning Board meeting. The 38-acre piece of property is just south of the Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on the corner of Holmes Road and Two Rod Road.

A conservation subdivision is needed for the Two Rod Road project because of the amount of wetlands and its location in the rural farming zone, said Assistant Town Planner Jay Chace.

“I like the idea of a conservation subdivision there. It makes a lot of sense from an environmental point of view and from a practical point of view, ” said David Bouffard, first alternative on the Planning Board. “This looks like it will work out pretty well.

St. Clair said wetlands will not be impacted because the existing wetlands will be located in the 22-acres behind the housing development that will remain open space. Rocco Risbara III, owner of Risbara Brothers Construction, told the board it is his intent to leave the open space untouched.

“To me it should just be passive and kept as trees,” he told the board. “I hadn’t planned on having any trails there.”

Although it is still early in the process, the Planning Board had very few concerns with the proposal.

“I don’t think they get any easier than this one,” said Planning Board Chairman Allen Paul. “Basically you are subdividing an open field and putting some house lots on it.”

Kerry Corthell, the second alternative on the board, said when she drove past the property recently she was surprised to see there were no major property constraints that had to be built around.

“I was shocked when I drove past the property because it is the least problematic piece of land I’ve looked at since I have been on the board,” said Corthell, who was appointed to the board in 2011. “It is great the wetlands and wooded areas are going to be outside the property lot lines.”

Chace said Mike Shaw, director of Public Works, did have some concern about the property’s drainage and storm water management.

St. Clair said she met with Shaw at the site March 9 about those concerns and will continue to work to avoid drainage issues.

“We’ll be working closely with staff and public works in order to move forward with a more detailed design, particularly with regard to drainage,” St. Clair said.

While the Risbara Brothers Construction project has very few on-site constraints, the developer for the second housing proposal—the construction of 40 housing units at 5 North St.— is finding it more difficult to fit its project on the proposed site.

According to Shawn Frank, senior project manager at Sebago Technics, a Westbrook-based engineering and consulting firm helping Burnham Village LLC design the project, the master plan calls for the construction of five new buildings, each housing eight, one-bedroom apartments. The project, he said, is designed to be done in two phases. The first phase would involve adding another building to the two that already exist on the end of North Street. The other four apartment buildings would be on land accessed from Martin Avenue.

Harold Burnham, owner of Burnham Village LLC, has been in discussions with representatives of the Rock and Roll Diner to allow tenants of the four buildings to access the property from the restaurant’s driveway, which connects to Broadturn Road.

Bill Bray, the town’s traffic engineer, has strongly advised having the complex accessed via the Rock and Roll Diner driveway.

Sharon Berry, a resident of 11 Martin Ave., agrees that Martin Avenue is not the best access point.

“My major concern is with the access that dumps traffic onto the land on Martin Avenue,” Berry said

Her concern, she said, is whether the short dead end off Broadturn Road could support the additional traffic.

She said in the 17 years she and her husband Greg have lived in the home, it has not been uncommon to see the road totally flooded when heavy rain falls or Phillips Brook, which runs underneath the road, spills over its banks.

“It’s flooded several times where you couldn’t egress in or out,” Greg Berry said.

“If you can’t get access (to the Rock and Roll Diner driveway) and need to have access off of Martin Avenue, it appears you have some work to do in terms of layout and design to prevent flooding in that area,” said Jeff Thomas, a member of the Planning Board.

After hearing the Berrys’ concerns about flooding, Planning Board member Ron Mazer said he is much more concerned about the second phase of the project.

“In listening to the statements from the public tonight and reading staff comments, I have a lot of concern about the flooding and how that whole area is right now,” Mazer said. “That seems to not be a minor blip. That seems to be a major issue.”

Paul said the board will do its best to address neighbors’ concerns while it makes sure the project meets the town’s requirements.

“Our limitations are to make sure the ordinances we have are met and the design standards we have are met,” Paul said. “That really is the limit of our authority. We look at safety, but that is the only area we delve into where more personal opinion has any impact or play.”

“We try to minimize the concern of neighbors as best we can,” he added, “but we can’t necessarily stop a project if it meets ordinance and design standards.”

To that end, the board decided to give its conditional approval to the master plan of the first phase of the project, provided the applicant continues discussions with the Rock and Roll Diner. Phase two of the master plan would be considered, but only when the access issue is totally resolved.

Frank said he is optimistic access off the restaurant driveway can be obtained.

“We are certainly hoping we can get some sort of agreement, but what it comes down to is what one person thinks it is worth, versus what the other person thinks it is worth. We have to make sure it works for us,” Frank.

As Burnham continues those discussions, Frank will be working on creating a detailed site plan for the construction of the new building off North Street, the first phase of the project.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Council sets dates for use of fireworks

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:33:42 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

After a vote by the Town Council last week, Scarborough residents will only be able to use consumer fireworks during a three-day period around the Fourth of July and on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The vote means consumer fireworks are only allowed to be used on private property between 9 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. on July 4 and Dec. 31, and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Jan. 1.

Consumer fireworks are also permitted between 9 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. when July 3 and July 5 fall on a weekend and between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. if they fall on a weekday.

The use of fireworks outside the five-day grace period is not permitted and is punishable by a $100-$500 fine.

Last July, Gov. Paul LePage signed a bill that made it legal for the public to purchase, possess and use consumer fireworks. The law went into effect on Jan. 1. Individual municipalities have the power to regulate the sale and use of such fireworks and, like Scarborough, many have discussed amending the law locally.

According to federal regulations, consumer fireworks are considered “any small firework device designed to produce visible effects by combustion.” Missile-type rockets, helicopters and aerial spinners and skyrockets or bottle rockets are not considered consumer fireworks, but rather display fireworks.

The use of display fireworks is permitted in town with a permit from the fire department, provided professionals licensed by the state of Maine Fire Marshal’s Office run the fireworks display.

Catherine Rogers, a resident of Gorham Road, said she supports the action of the council.

“I think what’s before the council is a good compromise between residents, businesses, and people who want to peacefully enjoy fireworks on their property,” Rogers said. “It’s fair. It takes into consideration of everyone’s concerns and it is easy enough to get the word out about what the rules are.”

Councilor Judy Roy said the new ordinance targets the times where fireworks are used most frequently.

“Fireworks are certainly used predominately around the Fourth of July, but I don’t know how much they are used around New Year’s,” Roy said. “Hopefully it will be enforceable. I am happy with the revision.”

Judy Camuso, assistant regional wildlife biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife office in Gray, said she and her colleagues are concerned about how fireworks could affect the wildlife in Scarborough, especially the piping plover population on the town’s beaches.

“Plovers can be significantly impacted by fireworks displays and the particular parties associated with those displays,” Camuso said.

She said the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife recommend fireworks not be used within three-fourths of a mile of plover nests. Fireworks, she added, have been known to cause nest abandonment and changes in nesting patterns.

“We would encourage if you are going to allow fireworks that there is some sort of people control where we have plovers nesting,” Camuso said.

Councilor Richard Sullivan said fireworks are not allowed on town beaches, but under the ordinance would be allowed on private properties close to the beach.

Councilor Jessica Holbrook said she supported the approach to regulating consumer fireworks, but had been concerned the ordinance, which is based on state law, would fine residents for using sparklers, which have been something that has been legal for years.

Town Manger Tom Hall said he spoke with the state fire marshal’s office, which told him “there were some deficiencies” in the law. The intent, Hall said, was never to ban the use of sparklers.

“The fire marshal’s office intends to clarify that,” Hall said.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Gym Dandies keep rolling along

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:32:44 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

Since 1981, thousands of Scarborough children have had an opportunity to learn to juggle and unicycle through Gym Dandies, a children’s circus group started by former physical education teacher Jon Cahill.

Now 31 years later, the Gym Dandies, made up of 200 children in grades three through 12, continue to dazzle audiences with their juggling and unicycle tricks.

Cahill said over the last 30 years, Gym Dandies has performed in 50 schools across the state and a number of high-profile appearances outside Maine at various festivals and parades.

Gym Dandies has performed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City twice, the National Independence Day Parade three times, the West Strawberry Festival, the Montreal Cycling Festival, as well as more local appearances at the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland, the Yarmouth Clam Festival and Scarborough’s 350 parade.

Right now the group is getting ready for two out-of-state performances, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Manchester, N.H. on March 25 and the 100th annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. on April 14.

The Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Cahill said, is the largest annual parade in Washington D.C.

“The Fourth of July is great and the crowds are great, but the crowds are even bigger for the Cherry Blossom Festival,” Cahill said. In 2008, the last time the troupe performed in the parade, more than 400,000 people were in attendance.

Cahill, who won the 2011 Maine Fitness Award from the Governor’s Council on Physical Activity for lifetime achievement, said some of these festival parades, such as the 2-mile St. Patrick’s Parade in Manchester, are nothing short of exhausting for the kids.

“It’s a real aerobic workout, because once they are up, they are up. They may fall, but they get right back up. They are continuously pedaling. There is no coasting on a unicycle,” Cahill said.

Before those performances, the Gym Dandies troupe will perform a little closer to home during two community performances next week.

“The most important thing we do, above these special performances, is our community performances because we are performing for our town and the people who support us. Every kid involved, regardless of skill level, performs in this,” Cahill said.

The community performances are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Scarborough High School Alumni Gymnasium on Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23.

Scheduled to perform are more than 120 unicyle riders, 17 performers walking on 24-inch and 30-inch inflatable globes and more than 150 jugglers, as well as yo-yo performers, Chinese stilt walkers and specialized unicycle riders.

The highlight of the night, Cahill said, will be uni-hockey, a version of ice hockey performed on unicycles.

What is nice about Gym Dandies and the community performances specifically, Cahill said, is it allows all members of the group to show off the new skills they have learned.

He said it is important to him to allow as many students as possible to experience Gym Dandies.

“This is not exclusionary,” Cahill said. “Every kid gets to be in (Gym Dandies). We don’t cut kids. They stay in as long as they want to and can become as good as they want to be.”

But for many members of the Gym Dandies, the benefit is not so much the opportunity to perform, but rather a chance to learn skill sets that are uncommon in children and young adults.

“It’s cool that this is unique and no one else can do it,” said Kaitlin Malayev, 12, who has been participating with the Gym Dandies for the past four years.

Jason Derrick, 10, said all the hard work it takes to learn the tricks and routines is worth it when he sees the reaction from the audience during performances.

“I think it is nice to be one of the only people that can do this,” said Derrick, who has been with the Gym Dandies for the past two years. “People really think it is cool when they see it.”

Cahill said Allison Derrick, Jason’s 8-year-old sister who just started with the Gym Dandies this year, has been really helped and encouraged by her brother during her first year with the program.

That support, Cahill said, has paid off. Allison, a third grader, is already skilled enough to ride on the 6-foot giraffe unicycles. Cahill said it is only the fifth time in the past 30 years that a third grade student in his or her first year in the program progressed to that level.

“I like that it is a circus, but it is for kids,” said Allison Derrick, who practices three times a week. “You can learn all sorts of fun things.”

There is never a shortage of new techniques or tricks to learn. Cahill said both he and his students are continuously looking for new elements to bring into their performance routines.

Cahill said how quickly a child learns these tricks and the others featured in performances depends on how many hours a student is willing to practice.

“If a kid practices regularly, it takes about two years before they are ready for the 6-foot unicycles and four to five months for the smaller ones,” Cahill said.

The idea, he said, is to get the children to be able to ride the 6-foot unicycle, also called a giraffe unicycle, as soon as possible.

“There is nothing quite like being that far off the floor,” Cahill said. “The kids’ faces just light up.”

Gabby Farino, 15, has been with the Gym Dandies group for the past seven years and said she is amazed at how much she has learned since she started in third grade.

“It’s crazy to think how far I have come. There was a time where I couldn’t juggle or ride a unicycle. Now it is second nature to me. As an older kid, I really like watching the younger kids learn and improve.”

Cahill said one of the things that makes Gym Dandies unique is the range of participants’ ages.

“One of the things that I think is special about this is we have high school kids performing with fourth graders. The program is not aged based. It is not gender based. It is strictly skill based.”

Since starting Gym Dandies in 1981, Cahill has been teaching workshops on unicycling, juggling and other circus arts to teachers and physical education educators all across the state. As a result, he said, many schools have included circus arts as part of their physical education curriculum.

Richard Dedek II, principal at Woodside Elementary School and a former Gym Dandies participant, helped to not only incorporate circus arts in the school’s physical education instruction, but also establish Woodside One Wheelers, a unicyle and juggling group run by the elementary school’s physical education teacher, Eric Pulsifer.

Cahill said he is impressed with what the Woodside group has been able to accomplish since it started in 2006.

“They have really done a good job with it,” Cahill said.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Two-sport sophomore is motivated to lead

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:30:29 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

Sophomore Mikaela Coombs, a member of the Scarborough High School cheering and field hockey teams, is proving herself as a leader both in her school community and the town of Scarborough.

Coombs was awarded the Maine Youth Leadership Award by teachers at the high school and will represent Scarborough at the four-day Motivate ME leadership seminar at the Gorham campus of the University of Southern Maine May 17 through May 20.

Bill Picard, a motivational speaker, will give a keynote address on May 17 and former Gov. Angus King will be the featured leadership keynote speaker on May 18.

Teresa Bartels, a guidance counselor at the school, said Maine Youth Leadership is looking for sophomores from the state who “demonstrate leadership potential and interest.”

Bartels said teachers and staff at the school nominated Coombs because she met those qualifications.

“She’s just a delightful young lady,” Bartels said. “We are very lucky to have her as a part of the school. She really goes out of her way and has demonstrated an ability in helping new students and a willingness to take on a leadership role in the school.”

Coombs said she does not know anyone going, but is looking forward to attending the conference, which stresses the importance of leadership skills and service to community.

“I am really excited to go,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll learn a lot.”

As a member of the Natural Helpers and Key Club, Coombs already knows a little something about service. In fact, Coombs said it is something that is very important to her.

“I like to volunteer,” she said. “I like to give back to people who don’t have the things I am lucky enough to have. I like to go to the soup kitchen and the Ronald McDonald House.”

Coombs said participating on the cheering and field hockey teams have also helped her develop leadership skills.

She said she has found leadership and working toward a common goal is an important part of her roles on both the field hockey and cheering teams.

Coombs said teamwork is also important in a sport like field hockey, which she has been playing since seventh grade. This past fall, Coombs was able to see the benefit of teamwork and hard work as a swing player on the junior varsity and varsity squads. The varsity field hockey team compiled a 14-1-1 record and won the Southwestern Maine Activities Association championship.

Cheering, especially at the competition level, also takes a lot of teamwork, Coombs said.

“(Cheering) is a really fun sport, because it relies on everyone working together. Being part of a team effort like that is really special,” Coombs said. “It’s always fun to be able to work together to achieve something.”

In fact, Coombs said, much of the winter cheering season is made up of competitive events. The team participated in six competitions including Cheers from the Heart, a charity event held at Marshwood High School on Feb. 4, and the Scarborough Invitational, the largest fundraiser for the program, on Feb. 18.

“Winter cheering is much more focused on competition,” she said, “but we also cheer at most of the basketball games at the high school.”

She said she particularly enjoyed cheering for the girls’ basketball team during the playoff run at the Cumberland County Civic Center, but competitions remain her favorite part of cheerleading.

The cheering squad, made up of 19 girls, had a successful season, Coombs said, and went to the state championship meet after placing fourth at the regional competition on Jan. 28.

“As a team we worked really hard all season,” Coombs said. “The team really came together, but there was a lot of competition at the state level this year.”

The team placed 12th in the state championship competition on Feb. 11.

Coombs said staying involved with athletics, school activities and outside interests helps her achieve a balanced high school experience.

“I like to keep a balance between playing those two sports, my academics and making honor roll and giving back and being a leader in the community.”

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Budget season begins in Scarborough

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:29:22 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

This year’s budget season is already underway.

George Entwistle, superintendent of schools, presented the school department’s fiscal year 2013 budget on March 15 in the City Council chambers and, next week, Scarborough Town Manager Tom Hall will present his 2013 budget to the Town Council at its 7 p.m. meeting on March 21.

Hall said he would consider “this somewhat of a correction year” because the town cannot rely on federal stimulus and state revenue sources like it had in previous years.

“We have some serious challenges ahead,” Hall forewarned the councilors on March 7.

He said he envisions either deep cuts, or big changes ahead in order for the budget to stay in line with previous spending.

The council will have the first reading and official review of the budget on April 4. A public hearing is scheduled for the following week, on April 11. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m.

While the council is reviewing the budget as a whole, department heads will present their budgets to the finance committee in the city council chambers over a three-week period, beginning on March 27.

Officials from public safety, the planning department and the finance department are expected to present their budgets to the committee on March 27.

The finance committee will hear from representatives from the public works department, Scarborough Public Library, the Scarborough Economic Development Corporation and the town’s administration during the same time period on April 3.

The next week, on April 10, the finance committee will hear from officials in the community services department, computer services department and school department. The finance committee will conduct a final review and make recommendations to the departmental budgets at the April 17 meeting. The meetings will take place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

After the Town Council reviews it over a series of meeting in April, the school budget will be finalized by the Board of Education on April 24 at 7 p.m.

The board will present its recommended school budget to the Town Council on April 25 at 7 p.m., before the council finalizes the municipal budget as a whole on May 2.

The school validation vote is scheduled for Tuesday, May 15.

Kindness campaign hits middle school

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:28:21 GMT

Scarborough Middle School students recently attended a presentation by Michael J. Chase, founder of The Kindness Center.

Chase’s vision is to create a more peaceful and kindhearted world by teaching kindness in schools, the workplace, relationships, and in everyday life.

The presentation was sponsored and funded by the Scarborough Middle School civil rights team.

After the presentation, the Scarborough Middle School students expressed an interest in making their immediate surroundings a better place.

As a result of their enthusiasm, the middle school held an Act of Kindness-Friendship Day on Feb. 14.

The entire school focused on small acts of kindness that can be done in school, home and their community on a daily basis.

All students were encouraged to wear pink or red on Tuesday to show their support.

Upon entering the school on Feb. 14, students could see a banner stating “You are about to enter the kindness zone.

The Peer Helpers, a group of students who promote tolerance and acceptance at Scarborough Middle School and the Civil Rights students plastered the school with acts of kindness ideas on bright pink paper.

Many classrooms had their own act of kindness initiatives for the day, such as handing out carnations, writing compliments to classmates or brainstorming ideas about how each student can help out in the community.

The students were rewarded with music at lunchtime in the hopes of promoting kindness and team building.

All students and staff were given a red bracelet with the words ‘Be Kind’ printed in white.

A pledge of kindness was sent home to parents and guardians asking them to discuss the importance of kindness and the benefits of doing selfless acts for others.

Each student was asked how they could make their school, home and community a better place.

All students who returned their signed pledge of kindness were entered into a raffle to win a Kindle donated by Horace Mann Insurance.

The winner of the Kindle was sevent-h -grader, Tim Carion.

Although this day was fun for everyone involved, the staff at Scarborough Middle School hopes that students will carry the lesson of kindness through their middle school years and beyond.

Loans still available through PACE

Leader Editor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:27:05 GMT

By Ann Archino Howe

Special contributor

Is getting a Property Assessed Clean Energy loan to have energy upgrades installed in your home a difficult process?

Not according to Scott Tirrell.

Tirrell had an energy audit completed in March 2011 and the resulting energy upgrades were completed in June.

“There is very little paperwork,” said Scott Tirrell, “and it was a quick and easy process.”

Tirrell lives in Scarborough with his family of four in a two-story house with 2,600-square-feet of heated space that was built in 2003. He did not know about the PACE loan program through Efficiency Maine when he decided to have an energy audit completed because of some concerns about the indoor air quality of the home.

His initial interests were to fill voids in insulation to lower energy bills and to address indoor air quality issues including high humidity and condensation on windows on the second floor during winter and summer.

His auditor told him about the PACE program and he decided to apply.

After the completed energy audit and discussion with the advisor, the following upgrades were decided upon. The audit also revealed other projects that can be completed over time.

Air sealing and adding insulation to achieve an R-60 rating in the attic; seal the rim or box joist that sits on top of the basement wall to form the first floor system – an often uninsulated area where there is a large amount of heat loss; a new smaller, more efficient propane boiler was installed; a range hood was installed in the kitchen that vents to the outside; and a whole-house heat-recovery ventilation system was installed.

The Tirrells said they are very pleased with the upgrades and with the process they experienced through the PACE program. They don’t have a whole year of energy data to compare yet, but they reported last summer that the increased attic insulation and the ventilation system kept the upstairs cooler so that room air conditioners were not needed. The upstairs is also warmer this winter. In addition, the general air quality in the home is much better. Tirrell feels that the services of a professional energy advisor are very important to the homeowner’s satisfaction about the process. The energy advisor can make sure that new problems aren’t created as the home is upgraded.

Following are the steps that resulted in the Tirrell family enjoying a more comfortable home this winter:

Check eligibility requirements at Efficiency Maine; choose an energy advisor, there are approved companies on the Efficiency Maine website; fill out the pre-audit questionnaire where basic information about the building is gathered and also about your concerns; and review the audit report with the energy advisor and discuss priorities and costs.

Note: There are some advisors who are also either construction managers or contractors themselves. In the PACE program the homeowner decides whether to have an advisor who is separate from the construction phase; apply for PACE loan either online or by downloading the application; develop a work scope based on the agreed upon priorities and cost; get bids from approved contractors, if not the same as the energy advisor; sign the loan documents and begin construction; and once construction is complete the energy advisor verifies that all work is completed correctly before final payments are made.

Complete information about this process, as well as the eligibility requirements, is available in a brochure offered at Scarborough Town Hall or online from the Scarborough Energy Committee web page or directly from Efficiency Maine at www.efficiencymaine.com/pace.

There is still money available for loans through the PACE program – up to $15,000 per loan, 4.99 percent interest over 15 years. Consider making your home more energy efficient and comfortable by taking advantage of this program.

Ann Archino Howe is the sustainability coordinator for Scarborough..

School ready for a challenge

Leader Editor — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:15:38 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

A program coming to Scarborough High School next week will challenge students not in the classroom or on the athletic fields, but rather on how to be a better person.

Rachel’s Challenge will take place at the high school through a series of events on Monday.

The program is based on the writings of 17-year-old Rachel Scott, one of the first victims of the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999, which killed 15 individuals and injured another 21 people.

“I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go,” Scott wrote in the school essay about her code of ethics.

That is exactly the message Scarborough High School Principal Dean Auriemma is hoping his students take out of this event.

“It’s a very simple concept, but can have an enormous impact,” Auriemma said of the program.

Auriemma said while Scarborough has students that are skilled both inside and outside the classroom, it still has the typical problems that arise among high school students.

“I think we have a great culture here, but we also have a culture of teenagers in the year 2012, so of course some are mean texting each other or posting pictures they shouldn’t that are mean to other people,” Auriemma said.

This is the fourth high school Auriemma has introduced the program to. The other three were at high schools he worked for in the Chicago area.

“Every one of them has been an extremely positive and inspirational event for staff and students,” Auriemma said.

Auriemma said he brought up the idea of bringing Rachel’s Challenge to Scarborough last fall during a meeting with the school’s Natural Helpers, a group of 18 student leaders who are nominated by their peers to promote a positive school environment. The group, Auriemma said, thought the idea was a good one and soon took it up as one of its projects.

The group’s advisor, Molly Montgomery, a counselor in the school’s student service department, said Natural Helpers is the perfect group to help introduce Rachel’s Challenge to the school.

“Natural Helpers are a natural fit in leading the effort to bring Rachel’s Challenge here because it is in line with the work they already do at the high school,” she said.

Rachel’s Challenge has three components, each targeted to a different sector of the school community. The day will begin with an assembly, “Building the Desire to Change” for high school students at 7:45 in the morning. The assembly, which will include audio and visual footage from Scott’s life and the Columbine massacre, will be repeated at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. A student leader group, made up of 30 individuals from all grade and academic levels, will attend an additional training session, “Sustaining the Change,” at 2:15 p.m.

Part of the job of the student leaders, Auriemma said, will be to make sure the ideas brought up in the assembly continue long after the program ends.

“It’s great to be inspired for one hour, or one day, but we all know unless you get cued to tap into that way of thinking, you fall back into your old behaviors,” Auriemma said.

Montgomery said she hopes students, including members of the Natural Helpers group, take what they learn from the program and continue to promote kind acts in and around the high school.

“The more people we can get interested in promoting an anti-bullying culture through random acts of kindness the better,” Montgomery said. “That is really what we are trying to do with Rachel’s Challenge.”

To pass the message of the importance of kindness to the greater public, a presentation, “Supporting the Change,” will be held at 7 p.m. in either the school’s library or auditorium.

Auriemma said getting the community involved is a crucial part of Rachel’s Challenge.

“It is important for the students to see it is not just the administrators or teachers that care about this sort of stuff,” he said.

Rachel’s Challenge, Auriemma said, is a good way to take a tragic event and turn it into positive day-to-day interactions and is designed to inspire individuals to make better life choices.

“The beauty of this is it is focused on the individual,” he said. “It asks you to challenge yourself to see if this in some way makes a difference in your own life.”

It is as important for the school, Auriemma said, to focus on events like Rachel’s Challenge as it is to focus on the traditional school curriculum.

“We understand that beyond the books and the class curriculum, there is a ‘human being’ curriculum we need to teach,” Auriemma said. “We have to act as carefully with that as we do with the math, science, art and music classes.”

Rachel’s Challenge is one part of the school’s focus on updating its crisis response plan, which Auriemma said is used for both large and small emergencies, including if someone falls down the stairs and breaks a bone, the death of a student or teacher, inclement weather, inefficient heating or cooling in the school, bomb threats, or a gunman in school.

“Rachel’s Challenge is on the other side of the crisis response plan,” he said. “It deals with the social and emotional, which I feel is the most important part of the plan because with that you get into how people are making decisions and how people are responding.”

Auriemma said he will bring Rachel’s Challenge back to the high school next year when he introduces the program to the school’s incoming freshman. Sophomores, juniors and seniors would be introduced to the second phase of the program.

“This is something I want to bring back year after year,” he said.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Land trust selects new director

Leader Editor — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:12:46 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

After sifting through two dozen applications, Jack Anderson, president of the Scarborough Land Conservation Trust Board of Directors, said he feels the board found the perfect candidate to take over the organization, which has been protecting open space in town since 1977.

Yarmouth resident, Kathy Mills, who most recently worked as grants officer in the development office of the Maine Audubon Society, has been chosen to replace Marla Zando as director of the Scarborough Land Conservation Trust. Anderson said Zando stepped down from the position after working at the land trust in various capacities for the past six years.

Anderson said Mill’s background in fundraising will help the land trust raise money to acquire additional land or make improvements, such as trail work, to the land the trust already owns.

“That is an area we have defined that we need much more experience in,” Anderson said. “She will certainly bring that experience.”

Mills is scheduled to begin work at the land trust on March 26. That fund-raising experience will come immediately into play. Anderson said the land trust currently has a piece of property under contract, but could not go into specifics regarding it. He did say, however, a fund-raising effort will be underway soon to raise the money necessary to acquire the property.

Fund-raising experience, Anderson said, was something the board was looking for in a new director.

“When we went out to recruit a new director we gave some thought to what the new director should do and what volunteers and the board should be doing. The job itself is evolving and will continue to evolve as we work with Kathy,” he said.

Anderson said Zando will stay on as a consultant during the transition, and he hopes Zando will continue to serve the organization as a volunteer.

“She has a lot of good experience and institutional memory,” Anderson said of Zando. “We will undoubtedly need to draw on that.”

Mills said she is excited to join the effort to protect the natural resources in Scarborough.

“The land trust is part of a group of organizations devoted to protecting Scarborough’s natural resources, including Friends of Scarborough Marsh, Eastern Trail Alliance, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center,” Mills said. “Many of those focus primarily on Scarborough Marsh. The land trust’s focus encompasses all the land in Scarborough. There is a lot of collaboration among the groups already. I am big on collaboration and I expect it to continue.”

Her goal in the short term, Mills said, is to familiarize herself with Scarborough.

“My goal initially is to get a better feel for the people, businesses and landscape of Scarborough and the work being done on land conservation in town and on the properties Scarborough land trust owns,” she said.

Thinking further out, Mills said her long-term goal is to continue the work the land trust has done over the years.

“The land trust has done a great job working with the town to identify parcels for conservation,” she said. “The town has been tremendously supportive of land conservation. I intend to build on that.”

Mills is already familiar with the land trust’s largest piece of property, the 434-acre Broadturn Farm, operated by John Bliss and Stacy Brenner.

In 2003, Mills worked as a Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association apprentice at a farm Bliss and Brenner operated in Cumberland.

Despite her background in fundraising, Bliss said Mills was quick to embrace the work that needed to be done on the farm.

“She developed a really strong connection with farming and that particular farm,” Bliss said. “We hired her because she was such a dynamic people person and a great manager who was able to grasp some of the conceptual elements to running the farm.”

Bliss said he and Brenner recommended Mills for the position, but had no part in the interview or hiring process.

“We certainly recognize her as an effective organizer and leader. For the land trust, she is a really good find. She has broad experience through a number of different nonprofits in the Portland area through her volunteer work and the fund-raising positions she held.”

Mills said her work experiences up to this point will give her the skills needed to lead the land trust organization.

“I learned a lot about land conservation, wildlife and habitats during my seven years with the Audubon Society,” she said. “I also learned about the importance of balancing economic development, environmental issues and the needs to advance land conservation. Economic development and conservation really go hand in hand.”

Since it was founded as the Owascoag Land Conservation Trust in 1977, the land trust, renamed in 1984, has been able to protect more than 1,000 acres of land all across Scarborough. Property owned by the trust include more than 35 acres on Marion Jordan Road; 35 acres in the Albert Sewell Woods on the corner of Ash Swamp Road and Hearn Road; 120 acres at Libby River Farm behind Camp Ketcha; 220 acres at Fuller Farm on Broadturn Road across from Tibbetts Road; and the 434 acres at Broadturn Farm.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Family’s bedtime tale hits the market

Leader Editor — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:11:41 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

An oral bedtime tale for a Scarborough family will soon be available in book form to children all across the country.

Amy Frink, a registered nurse and Scarborough resident, has published, “My Dream Pillow,” a children’s book based on a bedtime story she used to tell her son, Noah, now 10 years old.

“I have four kids, when my son was 5 he had trouble going to sleep at night. He didn’t want to be alone at night and he had nightmares,” Frink said. “We enjoyed reading books to him at night. This one we just kind of made up. That’s how it came to life really.”

Frink said the book, which is published by Tate Publishing, is based on the story she told Noah to help him relax and fall asleep at night.

“It’s about winding children down and the end of the day and placing happy thoughts about what they did during the day so they are falling asleep thinking about those happy thoughts to prevent nightmares from happening,” Frink said of the book.

The story, Frink said, was never intended to be turned into a book.

“This sat in my computer for the longest time,” Frink said. “It wasn’t something written with the hopes of getting published. It was just something we did to get him to sleep at night.”

Frink jotted down the story and sent the manuscript to several publishing houses. Tate Publishing, which Frink said publishes less than 10 percent of the manuscripts it receives, responded enthusiastically.

According its website, Tate Publishing and Enterprises, based in Oklahoma, “is a Christian-based, family-owned mainline publishing organization with a mission to discover unknown authors.”

Trinity Tate-Edgerton, Tate Publishing’s executive director of book acquisitions, said in an e-mail that after having her first child last year, she became “a much more avid reviewer” of the children’s book manuscripts that were submitted and was impressed with Frink’s book immediately.

“Amy’s book came across my desk in late 2011 and I was in love! I knew right away that this was a book I could see my own little dreamer enjoying at bedtime,” Tate-Edgerton said in the email correspondence. “I couldn’t wait to have this book available for all of us parents in order to make those moments of connection even more special with our little ones.”

“I was completely shocked and excited, since publishing it wasn’t something that was a goal,” Frink said of hearing the news Tate was interested in publishing her book.

She said her son, whose likeness is seen on the cover of the book, was also excited by the news, but was a little embarrassed because he has since grown out of the phase of having trouble getting to sleep at night.

“He is excited and proud, but he is a little embarrassed because he is 10 now,” she said.

The 24-page book, which retails for $8.99, is currently available through Tate Publishing’s website (tatepublishing.com), or via pre-order through barnesandnoble.com.

“I found it to be a very easy process,” Frink said of the publishing process. “Tate made the process so easy for me. It was just fantastic.”

When it is released next month, Frink said the book will be available at both big box bookstores and local shops, such as Nonesuch Books in South Portland and Biddeford and Longfellow Books in Portland. Frink said she hopes to get some placed in local libraries and schools as well.

After a book signing scheduled at Chamberlain Homes this week, Frink will be doing a small book tour of the area in the coming months. She will be at the Children’s Museum of Maine in Portland on April 14 and visiting day care centers and nursery schools in Scarborough throughout the month of May.

She is also in discussions with librarians at Portland Public Library and Scarborough Library to hold events there in the near future.

Louise Capizzo, children’s librarian at Scarborough Public Library, has not seen the book yet, but said she is interested in reading it.

“I’d like to read her book,” Capizzo said. “I’d be open to having some sort of author visit with her.”

Frink said she would like to continue writing books for children. In fact, she has already submitted her second bedtime ritual book with Tate Publishing.

“I would love to continue doing this. I enjoy writing these types of books for this age level,” she said.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Family activity leads to skiing success

Leader Editor — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:10:31 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

Scarborough High School sophomore Abby Mills, 16, grew up on a mountain in Maine, Sugarloaf, to be specific.

Since her parents bought a second home near Sugarloaf Mountain 10 years ago, Mills has been skiing every chance she got.

“Right off the bat my parents had me and my brother skiing,” said Mills, a member of the girls’ alpine ski team. “It’s been our family time and the way we all connected with each other. A lot of families go to Florida or Disney for vacation. Our vacations were spent at Sugarloaf.”

She said from an early age her parents, who met at a ski mountain, stressed the importance of staying active. Skiing, she said, seemed to be the perfect way to do so.

“We live in a place that gets a lot of snow,” she said. “Skiing is a way to get outside and be active.”

What started as a hobby for Mills has turned into a huge time commitment. Outside of the training she does at Shawnee Peak on Tuesdays as part of the alpine ski team, Mills said she trains with the Sugarloaf Carabassett Valley Academy Weekend Program Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mills said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s tiring, but I love it. No matter how exhausted I am, I always want to go back out. There has never been a moment that I say, ‘I don’t want to race today’” she said.

Her hard work on the slopes paid off this season as Mills and her alpine teammates, Irene Barturen, Shelby Bernier, Kyleigh Hodgkins, Meghan McAlary and Rori Sutkowski won the Southwestern Maine Activities Association championship on Feb. 27 at Shawnee Peak and finished sixth in the Class A State Championships on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24 at Black Mountain in Rumford. The boys’ team finished third in the SMAA championship and 11^th in the state championship.

In the state championship race, Mills finished seventh in the giant slalom and fourth in the slalom, her favorite race.

Mills said she was thrilled with her results.

“That was an incredible feeling,” she said of her slalom finish. “I never thought as a sophomore I could do it. That was a huge confidence booster.”

But for Mills, the good news was just beginning. Because she finished in the top 10 in both races she advanced to “shootouts,” the qualifier for the Eastern Maine Alpine Championships, set to take place this weekend at Attitash Mountain in Bartlett, N.H.

Mills said the qualifier, which included 44 of the top skiers in Class A, B, C and D, combined each competitor’s best finish in two runs of the giant slalom and slalom races.

Mills’ best finish was eighth in both races and she finished in 11^th place overall. Of the 12 girls who qualified to go onto the Eastern Maine Alpine Championships, Mills said she trains at Sugarloaf with eight of them.

Mills said he couldn’t have achieved what she has this year without participating in two other Red Storm sports teams, the lacrosse team and volleyball team.

“Volleyball and lacrosse have helped with my skiing because it helps with my core. In skiing it is important to have a strong core because your whole body needs to be balanced,” she said.

Mills said she hopes the success of the alpine ski teams this year will inspire more people to join the ski teams at the high school.

“It’s definitely growing,” she said of interest in the program, “but we really want to get more people involved. There are a lot of people who ski in Scarborough but who don’t know about ski racing,” she said.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Student leader is ‘Driving Force’

Leader Editor — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:29:29 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

If Mahatma Ghandi was correct when he said “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” then consider Scarborough High School junior Katie Elliott completely lost.

Earlier this school year Elliott decided to create The Driving Force, an organization that would collect items to donate to area nonprofits on a monthly basis. She said the desire to give back to her community began when she was 11 years old.

“In sixth grade I donated my hair to Locks of Love. That initiated my love for volunteering,” she said. “I loved the way I felt after having helped someone less fortunate than I was. I have always done a lot of volunteering. I’ve gone to the soup kitchen or helped through my church.”

Elliott said it took a little while for her idea to come to fruition, but in November it finally did when she walked into the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Portland with boxes full of items the organization had on in its wish list.

From there her monthly drives have continued to grow. For her December drive, Elliott, the junior class representative on the Scarborough Board of Education, was able to collect 237 books for the Salvation Army to hand out to teenagers across southern Maine.

“Teenagers are the age that is often overlooked. When people donate they donate for young kids or older adults. Teenagers are the generation that is missed. I thought it would be a nice idea for people my age to donate books that they are not reading anymore,” Elliott said.

In January, Elliott collected pasta and sauce for the Preble Street Resource Center Soup Kitchen. In total, 46 pounds of pasta and 10 jars of sauce were donated. She said pasta seemed like a good thing to donate because it has a long shelf life and it is easy to store.

This week, Elliott wrapped up a drive for paper products, such as notebooks, paper towels, napkins and tissues, for the Center for Grieving Children, recently named this year’s beneficiary of TD Bank’s Beach to Beacon.

Eddie Woodin, a longtime supporter of sports, youth activities and charitable organizations in Scarborough, met Elliott three weeks ago through Scarborough resident Dan Warren and was so impressed by the work she does through The Driving Force that he wrote her a $200 check.

“It’s a great mission,” he said. “I wrote her a check to help her needs and told her if she needed any future financial help I would be happy to partner with her on that.”

Woodin said he was impressed at Elliott’s charitable vision at such a young age.

“To see a young lady so impassioned about giving back and who has a lifetime of giving ahead of her is wonderful,” he said.

It is clear, Woodin said, that Elliott is passionate about what she does.

“It’s all about turning your passion into action,” he said. “You really need passion to step out and do something like this. Katie has it.”

Elliott’s focus this month will turn from grieving children to animals.

“I really wanted to do something for the animals. I have a dog and I am an animal lover,” she said of her March drive to collect money for the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

She said she intends to use the money to buy food and other supplies for animals at the center.

None of this would be possible, Elliott said, without the support of her classmates and other members of the community.

A lot of that support, she said, has come from Jackie Perry, a member of the Scarborough Board of Education, who Elliott said has been particularly encouraging during her time as a student representative to the board.

“She is such a great supporter of the youth in Scarborough,” Elliott said. “We are really lucky to have her.”

Perry said over the years the student representatives have been crucial in giving board members a youth perspective about issues that deal with the school system.

“These students provide valuable feedback that I have used in my decision making,” Perry said. “The questions they ask are remarkable sometimes.”

Since Elliott was elected by her peers to represent them at the board meetings, Perry said, it has become clear that Elliott has a giving heart.

“She seems to be a person who cares about others, cares about her community and cares about her schools,” Perry said. “She is doing this to give back to her community. I think that is remarkable.”

Perry said she hopes others follow Elliott’s lead.

“I hope she is an inspiration for others. We have an extremely active Key Club at the high school,” Perry said. “We should be doing anything we can do to encourage these young people to give back. I think it should be part of the curriculum. It is in other schools.”

Beth Elliott said her daughter has learned a lot about her community and herself through The Driving Force.

“What has really touched me about this, is how much it has touched Katie,” she said. “It opened her eyes to her community and to just how rewarding giving back is.”

Elliott said she hopes what she has learned in the process rubs off on fellow classmates.

“I want them to know how fortunate they are that we have great schools, a great school system and great town to live in,” Elliott said.

Despite her successes so far, Elliott said she knows The Driving Force can expand to involve local businesses.

To that end, she said she hopes to place boxes at local businesses in town. Right now there are donation boxes at the high school as well as the dance school she trains at, Broadway Dance Academy.

She said she hopes by the time she leaves for college next year with the interest of studying political science and eventually law, The Driving Force will be well established in Scarborough.

“I am really looking for this to continue to grow,” Elliott said. “I am so thankful for the support I have received. I want this to turn into something that Scarborough, as a community, can support and continue because there are so many nonprofits around southern Maine that need the help.”

To learn more about The Driving Force, log on to the organization’s Facebook page or e-mail Elliott at thedrivingforce@rocketmail.com.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Developers eye Dunstan Avenue area

Leader Editor — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:18:48 GMT

By Michael Kelley

Staff Writer

Settlement in the Dunstan area of Scarborough dates back to the 1650s. More than 360 years later, it is one of the most developed and congested areas of Scarborough.

Now the neighborhood around a small dead-end avenue that bears its name is slated for not one, but two new developments – one commercial and one residential.

One of the developments that could soon come to the neighborhood, which is located between Broadturn Road and Dunstan Cemetery, is a 40-unit residential apartment complex at 5 North St.

Shawn Frank, a senior project manager with Sebago Technics, said he submitted a master plan to the town’s planning department this week for the new five-buildiing commercial development at the end North Street, a short dead-end road parallel to Route 1.

The plan, which will be discussed at the March 12 Planning Board meeting, would include constructing five new buildings that would house eight one-bedroom apartments, which would be sold at market rate.

With North Street and Dunstan Avenue both being dead-end roads, Frank said traffic congestion remains one of the major concerns with the proposed plan, which would have one of the buildings access North Street and four buildings access a new connection to Martin Avenue.

Another option would be to have the development connect to the driveway of the Rock and Roll Diner. Harold Burnham, who owns the property, said he is still in discussions with representatives from the diner.

Since much of the property eyed for development is covered in trees, Planning Board member Jay Thomas said he would like to see it laid out in such a way to keep as many tress as possible to act as a buffer.

“(The trees) are already there and are in good standing,” he said.

If the new developments materialize, Neal Paulsen, who lives at 4 Dunstan Ave., said the existing roads, namely Dunstan Avenue and North Street, will have to be improved.

“How can we keep on expanding without expanding our roads,” he asked the Planning Board at its Feb. 21 meeting when Frank presented initial plans for the development.

Frank said this week he intends “do a little more follow-up” with the town regarding Paulsen’s concern.

“My goal following the meeting was to create a master plan and keep the discussion going,” Frank said. “We still have some homework to do with some of the specifics.”

The master plan review is the second step in the Planning Board process. The next step would be to develop a detailed subdivision plan.

“This is just step two,” Frank said. “I am sure we are going to hear comments from some of the people we have already heard from and we want to get Planning Board comments as well. That is really the whole idea, to hear comments regarding our plans.”

Both Thomas and Kerry Corthell, second alternative on the Planning Board, indicated during the initial review that they feel one-bedroom apartments are needed in Scarborough.

While the Planning Board reviews the apartment plan, another new business plan that was approved nearly a year ago, the construction of a seafood market on the corner of Route 1 and Dunstan Avenue, may also start construction soon.

Tom Snow said he has lived at 10 Dunstan Ave. his entire life and can hardly believe what used to be a quiet dead-end street has been eyed for additional development.

“I’ve lived here all my life and I would not like to see anymore traffic on this road,” he said.

According to minutes of the April 19 Planning Board meeting, when the site plan was presented, the plan was to build a 20- by 50-foot two-story structure at 2 Dunstan Ave.

The business, which was not named in the minutes, was expected to be open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. seven days a week. The second floor was to be used for storage and office space. There was no planned processing on site as fish and other seafood would come prepackaged.

The proposed seafood market, which received approval from the Planning Board on May 9, is less than half a mile from a similar operation, Scarborough Fish and Lobster, which operates out of a old barn at 697 Route 1.

Jay Chace, assistant town planner, said since the project was approved last spring, he has not heard any news about the project moving forward.

Jim Fisher, owner of Northeast Civil Solutions, who helped draft the plans, said last week that the property’s owner, Jim Hartley, still plans on proceeding with his plans.

“As far as I know, in talking to my clients, they are still looking to move ahead with the project,” Fisher said.

He added Hartley indicated he is waiting until after winter to begin construction, although a definite date has not been set.

“Where they are in terms of breaking ground, I do not know,” Fisher said.

Hartley did not return a call seeking additional information about his plans.

Staff Writer Michael Kelley can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Red Storm continue dominance

Leader Editor — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:16:44 GMT

The Scarborough High School girls’ indoor track team extended its streak of state titles to eight.

The state meet, held at the University of Southern Maine on Feb. 20, was buzzing at the start with Scarborough making the decision to pull Emily Tolman off Red Storm’s 3,200-meter relay and enter her in the long jump in its place.

Katherine Kirk was added to the relay and Karli-An Gilbert was moved to anchor the team.

The four members of the relay team (Kirk, Marisa Agger, Maggie Smith and Gilbert ) all ran personal bests in their legs and pulled out a second-place finish and started off the meet with eight points.

Tolman entered the long jump and hit 17 feet, 2 1/2 inches behind the leader to take second place and another eight points for the Red Storm.

The battle continued on in the 55-meter dash as the Red Storm’s Nicole Kirk pulled off a third-place finish in the finals to earn the team six points.

In the 400 meters, Tolman finished third and her sister, Andrea Tolman, finished sixth to add another eight points to the team total.

With not much time to rest, Emily Tolman pulled out a fifth-place finish in the 800-meter race and pulled in another three points.

In the high jump, freshman Sarah Rinaldi, who competed in her first state championship pulled off a sixth-place finish and earned another two points.

The pole vault saw three Red Storm team members place. Catherine Bailey was second, Andrea Tolman fourth and Cailey Ledue seventh. The event netted another 13 points for the team.

In the 200 meters, Nicole Kirk placed second for another eight points.

The meet ended in a thriller when the Red Storm’s 800 relay team of Morgan Rodway, Jessica Meader, Avery Pietras and Nicole Kirk took first place and 10 points and the Red Storm kept the state title streak alive.

Scarborough rang up 66 team points to outdistance Thornton Academy (61.5) and Bangor (47).