Not another empty building on Main Street in Limestone

To the editor:
    Strong consideration was given whether or not to write this editorial. After numerous conversations with townspeople, (who are the people that count), I decided that I would for them. As we all know, in this trying economy there are many people suffering hardship and financial difficulties. We were not at any time trying to capitalize on someone’s misfortune, but trying to alleviate the sight of another empty building on Main Street in Limestone.     Being the owner of a small eatery in town, I saw an opportunity or maybe you can call it a dream, to help dress up the corner lot, which abuts me, and bid on it at foreclosure. I didn’t need the building to better my establishment since it has been successful on its own. However, being surrounded by four empty, slowing diminishing buildings, I thought helping to dress up Main Street would be a very generous gesture.
    You should understand that this property that I dreamed of renovating would in no way be income producing on my part, rather I would be taking my hard earned money and dedicating it to something for the town and its people.
    I discussed my dream with many, many people, including individuals who will be mentioned later. My hope was to purchase the foreclosed building and demolish it to build a small park. A park where the townspeople could come, relax and enjoy the town once again. A park with a gazebo, possibly the town clock, picnic tables with umbrellas and park benches. I was attempting to create a domino effect whereas visitors to this area would now say “Wow this is a cute little town, let’s start a business here.”
    With a dire need for changing the landscape of Main Street, opposition to my dream was almost nil. That is, until governmental entities believed that they could take and play with government money and have no regard for hard working people trying to do something good for such a depressed town. We sometimes rely on governmental establishments to better the area that we live in. However, let us take a look at what those initials really stand for: NMDC (Northern Maine Development Commission); LDF (Limestone Development Foundation).
    A small group of LDF members, guided by NMDC, without consideration from any of their board members, who had no vision for the development of this property, decided that they would attend the auction and bid on the property to resell for a profit. Let us remember that LDF is a non-profit organization. Accordingly, those certain individuals with the help of NMDC, and a banker who is also a committee member of NMDC, decided they would attend the auction. At the showing, a few weeks prior to bidding, it was clearly stated that there was No Minimum Bid at auction. Neither LDF nor NMDC viewed this property prior to bidding. Their sole purpose for attending the auction was not to develop the building, but for the sake of getting a larger profit from its sale.
    Unlike some individuals from LDF, my husband contacted any potential buyers of the property to inquire whether or not they might be interested in the property. We strongly encourage new business in town, so if someone else was interested, we were going to discontinue our interest in the property. Due to the condition of the property, no one was interested in the building. Knowing how ambitious I was in developing that corner, NMDC and some members of LDF believed I would pay anything for that building.
    On the day of auction, I had hundreds of people happy and excited about my dream. I get to the bank and wouldn’t you know that putting financial officials into a room together would create an unreasonable minimum bid, and I was not interested in playing their game. This story doesn’t end here, but it is much too lengthy to continue. However, I will say to some members of the LDF, you can’t deny what happened, it’s all in the minutes.
    So in closing I will say to NMDC, LDF and the bank, ladies and gentlemen, you now have yourselves a building on Main Street in Limestone. I believe I speak for the majority of the townspeople: Develop it! The townspeople are extremely disappointed on the final outcome of this story. We don’t want another empty building in town.