By RANDY SEAVER, Editor
The Biddeford City Council finally got the chance Tuesday to discuss a controversial parking plan that has raised questions and eyebrows about city spending procedures.
One councilor described the project as a significant breach of city procedures, but another councilor described the $20,000 project as “small potatoes,” when compared to other issues facing the city.
The temporary parking plan is no longer in place. It was designed to help struggling downtown businesses by providing them and their employees free parking during a major sewer construction project last year in the downtown area.
The city spent roughly $20,000 over a five-month period to fund the program. It was designed to be “net neutral,” transferring money from an account the city uses for subsidizing bi-annual payments to the company that operates the Pearl Street parking garage.
RELATED: City investigating parking plan launched by former mayor
Councilor Brad Cote blasted the program and the city’s former mayor, saying he was outraged about how it was funded and implemented.
“This was done without the approval or knowledge of the Finance Committee or the city council,” Cote said. “This was a one-man show, and it was shooting from the hip. I think it’s awful and insulting to taxpayers.”
In December, Mayor Liam LaFountain – the former council president and chair of the finance committee — said he was flabbergasted when he first learned about the program months after it had been launched.
LaFountain then asked City Attorney Harry Center to investigate the issue. In his Jan. 3 memo to the mayor and city council, Center raised concerns about the program’s “process.”
But Councilor Jake Pierson said the issue is relatively benign.
“I think we’re making a mountain out of a molehill here,” Pierson said. “I guess I don’t understand the outrage. I see this as a waste of our energy and city resources.
“When we look at all the other issues facing the city, I see this as small potatoes,” Pierson added.
Councilor Marc Lessard – an outspoken critic of former mayor Marty Grohman – said his concerns were rooted in the process used behind the program’s funding.
“It was incorrectly done,” Lessard said, pointing out that the former mayor “lobbied hard” last year for a 35 percent increase to the Heart of Biddeford’s annual funding request.
The Heart of Biddeford – a non-profit downtown booster organization – coordinated the parking program, providing outreach and information to downtown businesses.
“This is yet just another example of mismanagement,” Lessard said. “It was swept under the rug, and it should have never happened.”
In order to reconcile the city’s accounting ledgers and prepare for future financial audits, the council voted 7-1 (Cote) to retroactively approve the project and redirect the expenditures from a different account in the city’s budget.
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Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
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