To the Editor:
Damariscotta’s municipal parking lot is being considered for major renovations by town officials. The extent of the proposed renovation varies but all the options are expensive.
The downtown parking lot was constructed during the 1950s. Its construction was funded by the town, along with generous federal grants. It was a major project at the time. Maintenance and other anticipated service costs were to be funded through paid parking by installing parking meters. This funding method worked well until 1970s when a group of politically influential merchants persuaded the town to remove the parking meters.
The idea at that time was that free parking would attract people to “Downtown” Damariscotta. Free public parking did attract people to Damariscotta, but because no substitute funding was proposed to replace the parking meter funds, all costs associated with the parking lot shifted to Damariscotta property taxpayers.
Damariscotta’s residents should have some financial assistance in providing additional public services to this downtown area. Perhaps Damariscotta could develop a Municipal Service Ordinance to address this situation.
