05/18/2017
I need your help. I don't know how to solve this problem that has been keeping me up nights for months.
Over a year ago I purchased the Temple Cinema with my life's savings. I've spent considerable capital fixing up parts of the building that had fallen into serious disrepair and to make the movie going experiences of my patrons more comfortable and safe. Just three examples are the new roof, bringing the theater up to fire code for the first time, and installing heat movers and programmable thermostats so the place is warmer than it has ever been in the winter. My life goal is to keep the cost of movies affordable while having the place stay open for the community to enjoy as long as possible.
I do not want to own a parking lot. I wish they were two separate operations. However, the sale included the land; at the time of the purchase it was already Permit Only, though only haphazardly enforced. I immediately opened the lot up for everyone for free for eight months. During the week I moved here there was an article in Pioneer Times about how the Town needed more parking. There was another just a month or so ago specifically mentioning Market Commons. I offered to sell the lot to the Town for exactly what I paid for it with an interest free mortgage spaced over ten years. At a very humiliating town council meeting the councilors insulted me and told me that there was plenty of parking in Houlton well within walking distance and instructed me to turn it into a permit lot for the people who live downtown so that they wouldn't park in their square. I waited for a few months and dropped the price by ten percent to sell it at a loss and communicated it to the town manager who told the head of the council. This gentleman did not inform the council about the offer and took it upon himself to turn me down the next day.
In the meantime I had the large hole in the lot repaired. At the same time the Town increased my taxes significantly over what they charged the previous owner. In addition to taxes and the repairs there is the cost of plowing and insurance. As I said before, with the lot the business is losing money beyond what can be sustained long term. So I had to follow the Council's suggestion and try to create revenue to offset the considerable expense. A the end of the summer I advertised my intent, posted signs, and put the lot on the market so maybe someone more clever could perhaps make use of it without being disruptive.
The Market Commons has twenty four units and only eighteen parking spots in a strip in front of the building. I don't know how that passed code. I offered to rent them some visitor spaces and for six months no one at the organization would even return my calls. Finally they did only to turn me down. I believe that if they rented a couple of daytime only spaces it would cover most of the requirements of the folk who visit. This would cost them Ten Dollars A Month. But they refused. But for some reason the tenants are directing their anger towards me. They come out and curse at and me and promise to physically assault me in grotesque ways. They say I'm out to get old people and threaten to close my business. When I try to explain the situation they call me a liar and worse. My car was vandalized during the winter. I suggested that the tenants collectively pool their money and come up with the ten dollars a month, but they rejected that too. Obviously, this amount is a really just nominal and not covering even a bare fraction of the proportional total cost, but it is something to justify charging the overnight parking people who lease spaces and event parking costs for the folk that will hopefully use the lot frequently during the summer. Basically, if some park for free no one will pay.
So to summarize, it is the Town that collects taxes doesn't care how far people have to walk with heavy groceries, the Market Commons who receive rent from the sick and elderly are not interested in compromising, and I'm getting nothing from non-permit holders but still expected to pay all the expenses and provide parking for free or I'm a heartless beast. I don't think that's fair. I'm accused of having "big city ideas" because I don't want to be a charity and need my business to survive.
To be clear, contrary to recent posts on Facebook, I am not "fighting" with the Town or the Market Commons. I am not angry with the people who scream at me and make sadistic threats. They all have their own points of view that I just don't understand. There is a considerable amount of misinformation out there too. Some people think the town already owns the lot and they are paying the taxes on it. The tenants don't understand the difference between a property line and a right of way. They seem to think that if I just went away someone else would magically appear to pay for everything. Some believe it was always free before I bought the lot.
Were it up to me I'd dearly still like to sell the lot to the Town, even at a negotiated reduced rate, and have it be a free public parking. The incremental operating cost of the space would be so much less for them it makes too much sense. My realtor has called a Town representative many, many times, and they won't call her back.
Since I can't raise the money in space leases I need to do it in fines. I tried ticketing, but out of dozens issued only one person paid. So now I'm booting because I simply don't know what else to do. I checked with the Houlton Police Department to confirm that as long as there are signs warning of the consequences then I am within my rights under Maine State law to immobilize or tow way any vehicle that violates the clearly posted permit restriction on what is my Private Property. I invite you to fact check this and call them too. If booted, the person must pay a $60 fine. I picked a high number because I want it to be a rare occurrence. I don't want to boot. It really is a huge pain in the butt, and I put it off as long as I could. Obviously exempt are emergency vehicles, delivery vans such as Fed Ex, UPS, and USPS, fuel and garbage trucks, as well as anyone who parks that might be going to the movies. Cable and landscaping services for the Market Commons must park in the Market Commons spaces only. They will be booted if I can fit my doohickey around their tires.
If anyone wants to buy the lot, appraised at $87k in 2013, selling for about a third of that, please contact my realtor. Her number is on the sign. If anyone has any ideas about what I should do other than booting to raise money if they were in my shoes I'm open to reasonable suggestions. I do have a special arrangement with the Masons for group parking and would be pleased to negotiate similar deals with other organizations and individuals. Vehicle passes for parking during the day only are $60/year each, (five bucks a month) until June 1st when they go up to $70/year. Single day parking for summer events is $5 for the first hour and $3 for each additional hour for people without permits. I'm hiring a parking lot attendant who will also sell popcorn during the Community Market.
I just want to work with people to cover the very real costs for an open resource that we can all share peacefully. I want to be a good neighbor, but it has to be a two way lot.
The other thing I could do is raise ALL ticket prices by fifty cents and open the parking lot up for free. That would be about breakeven (after the studio cut) if the number of attendees doesn't drop. Please feel free to vote with the buttons. Use the thumbs if you have no opinion but want to show support for person in a bad situation.
Apologies in advance to those who are going to be booted.
Thanks to all those who do lease spaces and go to the movies. I appreciate you so much!
