Council hears sides in fight over tables in park
Price for tables in park may rise; family of World War I soldiers protest restaurant use
Rockland — The Rockland City Council met with two parties March 4 concerning the use of Winslow-Holbrook Memorial Park for restaurant seating.
The restaurant's owner spoke in favor of the use, and a family member related to one of the men memorialized at the park spoke out against it.
Lynn Archer, who owns The Brass Compass Cafe, has asked the city council to approve using a 12-foot-wide strip of the park at the corner of Park and Main streets for outdoor seating during the summer months. The spot has been popular with tourists and locals during nice weather for several years.
Opposed to the outdoor seating was Gaye Best, a relative of one of the veterans for whom the park is named. Best argued the council, if it is going to accept fees for the use of part of the park, should allow other interested parties to bid on the park. In the past, only Archer has had a chance to use the park this way, according to Best, who said she might personally bid on the park.
Councilor Larry Pritchett said he believes the price of the park space for tables should rise from the $1,200 charged last year for an 8-foot-wide strip to $1,500. In addition, he said he was not inclined to change the width of the space to 12 feet. He said the 8 feet approved last year seemed to work and was the one year the city did not receive complaints.
Before the meeting, city officials and Archer had expressed hope this would not be as controversial as it was last year. In spring 2012 city councilors voted the use down two times before changing their vote to allow the tables. Over the course of several city council meetings, members of the public spoke passionately on both sides of the issue and many wrote letters to the editor and made comments online.
"Hopefully, this year this won't be such a hot topic," Archer said during the public comment portion of the March 4 meeting. She described last year as a battle.
For her part, she said she was willing to work with the city in any way and felt the restaurant could coexist with other uses of the park.
Best argued the park should be available to everyone, not just customers of the restaurant. She said she was concerned the memorial to the veterans would eventually be forgotten if the park was not protected. "That story would be lost," she said.
The city has long had plans to improve the park. Last year installing new tables was discussed at the city council level, and city workers even started removing trees at the park.
City Manager James Smith told the council the improvement project might be funded as part of a Community Development Block Grant, but the design and work on the park near the ferry terminal would have to take priority. The work would have to be done in early spring by June or later in the fall, he said, to avoid disrupting Main Street during the busy summer months.
Archer said she has been hearing about plans for the park for years, but has not seen the work done. She said she would keep the park clean and would agree to remove her tables to make room for the work when the city was ready to begin the project.
Best said she was concerned the improvements would never be made while the park was being used by the restaurant.
Daniel Dunkle can be reached at ddunkle@courierpublicationsllc.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDunkle.
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I can't see how having a few tables, in what was otherwise an unused, unknown space can possibly cause such a stir. This controversy has brought recognition to the park and perhaps the veteran's after whom it was named. Please note that the American Legion Post in Rockland is also named after these same veterans. The park should be available for public use which should include small tables for the Brass Compass and benches or public art. Rockland has a wonderful downtown and anything we can do to make it more inviting and interesting is vital. We all have our opinions about tourists, but I think we can all agree we like (and need) their dollars. Please move on to more important things...like the condition of the streets in Rockland.
I am so proud of Lynn Archer and what she has acomplished for this city and she still does more. She employes steady workers. She cleans the park and sidewalks for the beutification of her customers and the city gets tourists from the efforts. Taxes are being paid to the city, state and she is local. She keeps her hand in the business and it shows. Give her a break!
Mickey McKeever
How come there was none of this hullabaloo when the Farnsworth stuck Robert Indiana's LOVE "artwork" up in the middle of the park?
AMEN TO ALL THE ABOVE...GIVE LYNN A BREAK THIS SUMMER & SUPPORT HER ROCKLAND!
VALERIE A. ORR FT. LAUDERDALE
By George ! I agree........Lynn's place does more for this City than we realize, how lonely looking is that Park without the tables and customers sitting at them, as one turns onto Main Street you slow down to see who might be there (no speed bump needed) and you think of pulling over to park and perhaps getting a bite to eat or just take a stroll......
Mr Pritchett might consider the reason for the lack of complaints as approval of Lynn's use of the area, the pristine and respectful manner in which she maintains the area and the inviting look of her outdoor lunch area. Lynn promotes Rockland in so many way I am certain she does not want the park disrespected in any way, and the cafe call more favorable attention to the park than it did when the city was maintaining it. Personally I think it makes Rockland Main St. look very inviting and accessable to visitors just turning onto the street! Keep it up Lynn!!
My feeling is the city should thank Lynn, doesn't anyone remember what the area was like before she purchased the property ? And now raising the fee was even mentioned.....I for one, along with others have made costly improvements to our properties over the years, the City has never recogonized our efforts only by putting there hand out for more money " taxes, fees, permit costs", it is discouraging to attempt to do business here.., everything is a hurdle today, I speak for many, that this City needs to refocus and start working with the people that make Rockland what it is......thank you
I agree! Lynn has been through enough and shouldn't have to fight this battle every year. One of the highlights of the summer is seeing outside seating at local restaurants and with the Brass Compass being the first one you see it makes the city look so inviting and friendly. Doesn't seem like this is what the council wants!
City Council: Put this to rest ASAP, please. Ms. Archer could not be any more accomodating then she was at the council meeting.