Newsletter

Springtime in Belgrade, Maine

BELGRADE PUBLIC LIBRARY AT THE BELGRADE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR ALL SEASONS

Librarian Melanie Taylor Coombs and the Library Board of Trustees invite you to visit your new Library in the Belgrade Community Center for All Seasons. The Center is located just south of Belgrade Lakes village on Route 27.

Currently the Library houses over 2000 titles, including many recent titles by best-selling authors like John Grisham, Amy Tan, Dean Koontz and J.K. Rowling. New titles are constantly being added to the collection. Melanie will do her best to track down those titles not already on the selves through the Maine Interlibrary Loan program. The Library has already borrowed books from Bangor, Portland and Augusta for patrons.

The Chewonki Foundation visited the Belgrade Public Library in February and Mr. Charles Blaisdell provided Christmas readings in December. Please watch local newspapers, bulletin boards and websites for upcoming events.

Volunteers are needed at the Library. There is a wide variety of volunteer positions available, including story telling, shelving stamping, and even plant care. If you would be willing to donate some valuable time to the Library please contact Melanie.

With spring just around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about gardening. The library has many gardening, craft and hobby books, please feel free to stop by and check out the collection. The Belgrade Public Library hours are: TUES: 12-7, THURS 12-7 1ST,3RD&5TH SAT 12-7

For reference & renewals please call 495-3508. Book drop outside on lake side.

BELGRADE PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT

This has been a very busy winter for us! The Belgrade Community Center for All Seasons has been opened for 6 months. Can you believe it! Since we opened, we helped sponsor a wonderful Blood Drive with Long Pond Realty, we had a wonderful Holiday get-together, held a well attended winter festival-thanks to the Belgrade Business Group, and a fabulous talent show. To finish up March, we have scheduled a trip to the Bangor Garden Show on March 30 that will pick up at North Belgrade Community Center at 9 am and come to the New Center for coffee & donuts. We will then depart around 10 am to head for Millers for lunch.

After lunch we will go to the Garden Show. Our estimated time of return will be 5 pm. We also have a CPR and First Aid course scheduled for March 31, from 8 am –4 pm. There are limited seats so register early! Our April calendar has changed a little so look for these changes. We have a very busy week scheduled for April vacation starting with an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday and will go on to include a family craft night, family charades, relay races, a center grounds cleaning retreat in celebration of Earth Day and an Earth Day Environmental Education Class by Lori Murphy, Wildlife Instructor. We have just formed a Summer Program Committee that will be working to offer our community a wide variety of summer programs. So, keep your eyes peeled. Since we opened in October 2000, several community members have volunteered time to our center. Thank you all for your time, without you our programs would not be possible. Thank you so much!!.

BELGRADE REGIONAL CONSERVATION ALLIANCE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS, LEARN AND ENJOY AT THE SAME TIME

The Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance (BRCA) Watershed Program is looking for volunteers to assist with a survey of all the land draining into Long Pond and Messalonskee Lake. These Watershed Survey volunteers will be looking for sources of non-point source pollution-primarily erosion sites. The BRCA will provide training and survey materials, and the volunteers will be asked for a total of 16-20 hours of their time (includes the training). The watershed will be divided up into sectors, and a team of volunteers will be assigned to each sector. If you love the lakes and want to do something to help them, or if you want more information on other ways you can help protect our lakes, call the BRCA Watershed Program at 495-6039.

The BRCA Watershed Program is now beginning its third year of working to protect and improve water quality in the Belgrade Lakes. Watershed Surveys have been completed for Salmon Lakes, McGrath Pond, Each Pond, North Pond and Great Pond. Work to correct some of the identified problems in those watersheds will be this summer. After the Long Pond and Messalonskee Lake surveys are completed, the BRCA will seek grant funding to do work in those watershed. To register for the watershed survey training on April 23, please call the BRCA, Watershed Program at 495-6039. This is a great way to help the lakes that we all enjoy.

VOLUNTEER: GET INVOLVED IN WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY!!!!!!!!!!

THE TOWN OF BELGRADE IS IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS FOR MANY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE STOP INTO THE OFFICE OR CALL AND WE WILL SEND YOU AN APPLICATION. WE ARE IN NEED OF MEMBERS ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE THERE ARE 3 OPENINGS ON THAT BOARD ALSO, THERE ARE 3 OPENINGS ON THE BOARD OF APPEALS BOARD OF ASSESSMENT REVIEW HAS 1 OPENING. PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE AT 495-2258 OR STOP IN THE OFFICE AND PICK UP THE APPLICATION. WE ARE A FAST GROWING COMMUNITY AND NEED YOU TO GET INVOLVED .

3RD ANNUAL ART FESTIVAL FOR BELGRADE

The Belgrade Lakes Business Group is sponsoring our 3rd Annual Art Festival on Sunday, June 10th from 10-4 at the Belgrade Community Center for All Seasons. Several art forms will be represented: Oil, Watercolor, Pen & Ink, Photographs, Sculpture to name a few. Many artists have already registered for this event, including a caricaturist. Come spend a wonderful afternoon viewing the works of the very talented local artists. Who knows, you may find the perfect piece to take home!!!! For more information please contact Karen Swan at 495-2264

BELGRADE LAKES BUSINESS GROUP BUSY WITH EVENTS FOR THE COMING YEAR

This group is still busy and in fact hoping to expand their activities this year. There have been several meetings; the emphasis this year is to get people to come to our area in May-June and in Sept. –Oct. as well as continue the summer efforts. Here is a list of specific activities coming up this year….

• Feb 19– Bert Languet and committee held a Winter Carnival at the Center
• June 10– Art Festival– At the Center, Karen Swan, Chair
• July 4– A day of festivities, Parade at 4. Laura Richter, Amy Bernatchez and Diane Oliver, chairs for different events.
• August 4– Loon Festival– Activities during the day; loon calling in the evening after “Bean Hole Bean Supper. Gloria McGraw, Chair.
• August 16– BLBG Summer Celebration Sock Hop!! Gail Rizzo, Chair.
• October 6-Golf, Bratwurst– Laura Richter, Chair.
• December 1- Christmas Stroll, Diane Oliver, Chair.

Look for posters around town listing all the members of BLBG. It is amazing to see how many small businesses are in our area. If you would like to join, contact any of those members for more details.

THE BOSTON POST CANE? WE NEED YOUR HELP

THE BOSTON POST CANE Currently lives at the town manager’s office, but Katie Smith is not qualified to host it. Would someone please reveal the identity of the oldest resident of Belgrade so the cane may reside in its rightful home? Just call the town office if you think you know the answer, so we can check out the birth dates.

A recent gathering enjoyed seeing the vintage home movies which Billy Martin has preserved. They showed pieces of Belgrade’s recent history, the 1930’s. However, not one person raised his hand or spoke in favor of having another get-together, when that possibility was raised at the end of the show.

If you want to see the rest of the movies or share more of Belgrade’s old stories, photographs, or general historical topics, call Nan at 465-7924.

REQUEST FROM ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER

IF YOU LOSE YOUR ANIMAL PLEASE, PLEASE CONTACT THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER AT 495-2214. THE OFFICER WILL THEN BE AWARE OF ANY CALLS THAT MAY COME IN FOR THIS PURPOSE. IF THE OFFICER IS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN YOU CALL PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER AND HE WILL RETURN YOUR CALL AS SOON AS HE POSSIBLY CAN

BELGRADE LAKES REGION INC. SPRING NEWS

According to the calendar spring has arrived & with it so have the 2001 Belgrade Lakes Region Inc.’s brochures. They are ready for distribution. If you would like to have some for your business or help distribute them, please call 495-2165 or 495-3509. We would like to thank all those who have advertised in the brochure & have donated toward the Schedule of Events column. This is a wonderful addition to the brochure that our visitors appreciate. Thank you especially to the people that were involved with the brochure, its creation, design & proof reading, a really big job, also to all those that helped unload & store the heavy boxes which are now at Lake & Country. The people there can help you also in picking up some brochures.

Now that we are in the year 2001, it is time to mark down our “2000” T’s and Sweatshirts . There is a limited supply. The “sweats” are now $18.00, Adult T’s are now $12.00, Children’s T’s are $8.00 Child 6-8 $6.00 Please call Sylvia at 495-3509 or call the Town Office they do have some merchandise there.

The Information Center will be open in June—Labor Day. Once again Lake & Country has provided us with the very necessary Porta Potty, & again we are as always looking for volunteers to man the Center. During the 2000 Season 1,676 visitors stopped by for directions, information & of course to use the Potty!! If you feel you don’t have enough experience but would like to give it a try you will always be “Buddied Up” with another volunteer who will be happy for the company & to share their knowledge. Please stop by & browse through the many pieces of information that are placed throughout the building.

LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE NEWS

The Long Range Planning Committee applauds Belgrade’s vote to adopt the Commercial Development Review Ordinance. It provides for Planning Board review of large commercial proposals and addresses many issues covered by the 1998 Comprehensive Plan. These include: air quality, access to public streets, erosion control, historic and archaeological resources, materials storage, natural resource protection, outdoor lighting, parking, screening of structures and other uses, storm water management, wastes, water quality, adult business, material extraction operations, overnight accommodations and telecommunications towers.

At this writing in late March the Board of Selectpersons and LRPC are scheduled to meet to review LRPC priorities beyond the future town office and central fire station site, and management plans for town-owned forested land which are now on the LRPC agenda. Items for consideration include; land use, watershed protection and the role of minor tributaries, preservation of contiguous woodland areas, long term capital budgeting, economic development, affordable housing, regional services and the Town’s reliance on volunteer services. Interested residents are invited to attend all LRPC meetings, which are normally held at the Town Office on the third Monday evening of each month. Please check in advance with the Town Office in case of change of meeting date or location.

A FEW NOTES FROM KATIE:

Attention Landscape Service Providers!! During the week of March 26th, we will begin accepting bids for lawn-care maintenance for all Town-owned properties. Bids will be due on April 12, 2001. Please stop in at the Town Office for information concerning this process.

In addition, if you are a Landscape Architect, we will be seeking proposals for clean-up, redesign and landscaping of lake front property at the Belgrade Community Center for All Seasons. These proposals will be due on May 10, 2001. This will be advertised in local papers during the first week of April.

How about something new? The Board of Selectperson has suggested a “Community Clean-up Day.” This effort will involve walking along our roads and picking up litter. We are tentatively setting this for Saturday, May 5th. Any community service groups that would like to provide ideas and/or support would be appreciated. Please contact any of your municipal officers with input.

SELECTPERSONS CORNER

Selectpersons meetings every first and third Tuesday of the month 7 P.M. Town Office. For those of you who would like to have something on an Agenda please have the information to the office not later than Thursday afternoon so that the Secretary (Mary) may have the information ready for the Selectpersons in a timely manner. Thank you

Planning Board meetings every first and third Thursday of the month 7 P.M. Town Office. Code Enforcement Officer, Gary Fuller is here on Thursday evenings from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. for all of your building permit questions. Phone 495-2258 Home 495-3868