To the editor:
For the past couple of years, in order to save tax dollars, the Caribou City Council has been trying to determine whether or not to keep or sell the city-owned parking lots. Several of the underutilized lots have been sold or leased, and now the question has come up as to what to do with the North and South Mall lots. The Council is pretty much split down the middle on this issue, and has decided to put the question to the voters on the November ballot.
I feel very strongly that these lots should remain city owned. I am very concerned that to relinquish ownership could jeopardize their use during events such as Thursdays on Sweden, Heritage Day, the Marathon Qualifier, parades, ski meets and any other events that may be on the horizon, not to mention easy access to parking for customers of the businesses in this area.
Our downtown may not be the thriving metropolis it once was, but it is still the city center, the core or hub, if you will, of these activities. To take the chance on losing this area, in my opinion as a councilor and private citizen, would be a huge mistake. We don’t know what a new owner of this property would have in mind, but I would hazard a guess that he or she would want to recoup the money spent.
I have had several people ask why something like this was even put on the ballot. Well, as I said, Council could not agree and, I for one, would like to put this to rest once and for all (and I’m sure the business owners in the Downtown Mall would like to do the same) so why not ask you, the citizens, what you want to do. Would you like to continue to have free and easy access to the mall parking lots, or do you think they should be privately owned?
The question on the ballot will read: “Should the City of Caribou continue to own and maintain the downtown mall parking lots? (Non-Binding Advisory Referendum)”
Please think about this carefully. We, as a Council, are always being reminded that we should be business-friendly, but I think we also need to be consumer and visitor friendly as well. If consumers cannot find adequate parking, they will not patronize the businesses, and if visitors cannot find parking, they will not come to the activities such as Thursdays on Sweden.
I am not suggesting that if the lots are sold, the new owner will not allow use of them by the city and its citizens without a price. I simply do not know. What I do know is once they are sold, they are gone.
Please get out and vote, and if you want to keep our parking lots, mark “yes” to that question on November 8th.
Joan Theriault
Caribou
