By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — A discussion of replacing a light post that was hit by a vehicle turned into talk about getting extra law enforcement coverage.

During the Naples Board of Selectmen meeting last week, it started withone selectman questioning how the town goes about replacing a streetlight that was hit by the Route 302-Route 35 intersection.

“One of the streetlights got wiped out from a car accident this winter. How does that work,” Selectman Ted Shane said.

Naples Town Manager John Hawley fielded the question about the decorative streetlight along the sidewalk, where upgrades were made for pedestrians as part of a recent intersection improvement project. 

“So, we have billed the person who hit that — we have billed their insurance company. The streetlight was ordered two days after it was hit, and we are waiting for it to be delivered and the insurance company coversthe cost,” Hawley said.

Shane asked if the pillar damaged?

“The whole thing was destroyed,” Hawley said.

Shane responded, “It’s a new pillar and everything. So, you’re just waiting for the weather?”

“No, waiting on parts,” Hawley said.

Chairman Jim Grattelo said that last time a lamppost was hit, six months passed before it was replaced. 

The town manager clarified.

“After they all got installed, one got hit in the Umbrella Factory [Supermarket] parking lot and it took six months for that one to be delivered,” Hawley said. “Now, the one across the street has been hit and that has been ordered.”

Shane said he hopes the part is delivered in the near future since that area gets more pedestrian use during the fair weather. 

“People are going to start walking pretty soon,” he said.

Transitioning to a related topic, Vice Chair Bob Caron II said a resident asked him about looking into grants for more deputy coverage because there are “a lot of new accidents going on in town.”

The long-term goal should be getting a greater law enforcement presence, most likely through Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). The resident told Caron that the town should check into grants and also using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to increase the deputy coverage.  

Some of the grants would be specifically aimed at getting quicker response times — according to the resident, Caron said. 

He told the citizen that the town does have a seasonally contracted deputy from CCSO. 

“We are contracted 40 hours come summertime, but it is less this year because they are short deputies for CCSO,” Caron said.

The person with whom Caron spoke “is inquiring that with the American Rescue Plan funds on the market right now, especially for law enforcement, the town should be looking at year-round. A couple response times for accidents are getting longer and longer. I am just bringing this up. It’s something the town should look into,” he said.

Chairman Jim Grattelo said it a problem with enough personnel.  

“We could set aside all the funds we want, they don’t have the people. We cannot even get our summer crew,” Grattelo said. 

Caron said the town has looked at options to get more law enforcement in town.

“Bridgton doesn’t want to expand at all with their police department. We’ve had that conversation. A joint police department is hard to do in this area. We are reliant on CCSO,” Caron said. “When there is no state police or CCSO in the area — it doesn’t happen all the time, there is always someone inthe area I think, but when there is no one the response times go down. The person asked that I check because [he/she] is starting to see more of an issue.”

“There are grants out there for towns under a certain population to be fully funded,” Caron said.

Hawley spoke on the subject.

“Those are shortterm funds. If you are looking at full-time coverage, you are looking at $500,000,” he said. “We have the contract for two years, then the funds dry up and the taxpayers are on the hook for $500,000.”

“There are other programs that do it in five years. It is called Safer Grant. They pay 75% during the first year, then 50% for a couple years, then 25%,” Hawley said. 

After five years, the town takes on the fiscal responsibility. The agreement is you cannot drop it after five years, he said. 

Caron said it was worth looking into and getting some potential costs.

The chairman pointed out the bright spot in public safety coverage.

“The good news is: The fire department is fully staffed, especially the EMS side. That is back on track. That is the most important, if someone calls 9-1-1 for an ambulance, we have one rolling from Naples,” Grattelo said.