By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — Drivers passing through might not think twice about the posted speed limits in a community. 

However, it can be very frustrating for residents and people enjoying the area to contend with vehicles going much faster than the speed limit.

The story is the same everywhere. 

It’s the solution that is different. 

Casco selectman Scott Avery brought up the idea of contracting a deputy specifically for the town’s needs. Most likely, it would be a deputy from Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. The Town of Naples has also recently contracted a 40 hours per week deputy from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend.  

Avery put the topic on the table, and he received the support of his peers during the Casco Board of Selectmen’s regular meeting on Tuesday. He shared his suggestion during the Selectmen’s Comments portion of the agenda. 

Avery described the joys of Casco Days in the Village, and how during that weekend, despite crowds near Meadow Road, there were still multiple speeders.

He said the problem of speeding through Casco Village was once again highlighted for him while he was watching a community theater performance in the gazebo at the Casco Days Park.

“I really think it is time that the town takes a look at a contract deputy,” Avery said.

“Watching the traffic go through this Village during the hour and a half while we were watching that show was absolutely appalling. They are double the speed limit. They don’t have any sense of care that people are walking on sidewalks or that the park is full of people,” he said.

He admitted it is a town-wide issue, verbalized by citizens. 

“It seems like when we have groups of people with problems — the airBnB folks, they talk about speed on their roads,” he said.

“I think we need to do something. I think it is really starting to get out of hand. All the people who don’t mind buying tires — if you are looking at Leach Hill Road the last couple days,” he said, referring to numerous black skid marks on Leach Hill Road and Route 11.

“I think we need to start the process of looking at a contract deputy,” Avery said. 

“I think that’s a great idea,” Board member Holly Hancock said. “People drive 50 and 60 through the Village.”

Casco Town Manager Anthony “Tony” Ward said he would gather that information and get price estimates for the board.  

“We are going to spend a lot of time, effort and money on establishing ordinances,” Chairman Mary-Vienessa Fernandes said. “But if we cannot enforce them, what is that point?”

Avery continued to describethe severity of the speeding problems. 

“At my house near 11 and 121, I think the goal is to see how fast you can get going. Between Pikes Corner going toward Raymond, they are going 60 by my house, and it’s about 750 feet from the stop signs. It’s just insane,” he said. 

“We cannot expect the sheriff’s office to be there every minute of the day. Those guys are over-stressed, under-staffed,” he said. “I think it is time that we look at this and 

start providing our citizens with a little bit of  peace.”

Fernandes continued his train of thought, saying, “Enforceablepeace.”

Fernandes said she had noticed that there are no speed limit signs by the Crooked River School, which opens this fall.

“People fly through there at 40 or 50 mph. Now, we are going to open up a school — that is something to look at,” she said.  

In other business related to Casco Village, Hancock reported the status of a couple buildings that are being razed to make way for single-family homes. 

“The Spurwink school is a pile of rubble. They will remove that on Wednesday. They are taking the windows out of Hancock office building before they demolish that,” she said.