Tag: Marc Lessard

Parking garage woes continue in Biddeford

~ Randy Seaver ~ 8 Comments

More than four years after it was opened, several Biddeford officials remain frustrated about how the city’s parking garage is being operated, saying the garage operators still have no incentive to increase efficiency and lower the city’s financial obligations.

Over the past year, the city has paid the garage owners nearly $570,000 in stabilization payments in order to guarantee a profit from the garage.

On Tuesday, the city council heard a presentation from Premium Parking, a New Orleans-based company that operates parking facilities all over the country.

Councilors said they were hoping to hear and see more “hard data” about how the garage is used and what can be done to lower the city’s ongoing financial commitment.

“We got a lot of icing, but I was looking for cake,” said Councilor Marc Lessard during an interview after the meeting. “There was no substance. They [Premium Parking] have no incentive to increase efficiency and lower costs.”

Under a contractual agreement with the garage developers, every six months the city is required to make a “stabilization payment” to the developers in order to guarantee a profit for the private company, regardless of customer usage.

In June of this year, the city paid $208,227 as a stabilization payment. Previously, in December 2023, the city paid $169, 695; and in June 2023 the city paid $191,246 to the developers.

During Tuesday’s council meeting, Charlie Grab, a “market president” from Premium Parking made a brief and rather perfunctory presentation to the council.

Grab, who has handled his company’s New England operations for roughly six months, was scheduled to appear in person but said he was ill and conducted his presentation via ZOOM.

Grab told the council that almost half of customers use smart phone cameras to pay for parking over the last three months. Use of the company’s mobile app has increased 47 percent Grab said while direct cash or credit card payments at a kiosk have decreased by 41 percent.

Grab also said that most customers use either the garage or surface lots for a duration of two hours, making up 56 percent of all transactions.

Earlier this year, parking at the Washington Street parking lot was reconfigured converting to more short-term parking versus day-long parking. Grab described that change as a “nice success story” by doubling revenue at that lot.

But once again, Grab was somewhat vague when asked for recommendations about how to improve efficiency and usage at the garage.

Grab said many other communities with an open-roof garage use the space for things such as “beer festivals” and “pickle-ball tournaments.”

Grab also said his company is working on “an outreach effort” in order to form partnerships with downtown business owners and possibly creating a “newsletter” to explain how the garage operates as well as “fine tuning” signage.

Councilor Roger Beaupre said he was less than impressed after the presentation.

“It’s just the same old story,” Beaupre said. “It seems to be a constant problem. They have no incentive to do anything because they are guaranteed a profit.”

During his campaign to become the city’s mayor, then city councilor Marty Grohman had strong words for Premium Parking, promising to “get tough” with the garage operators and have them appear before the council on a regular basis.

“It seems to be a constant problem. They have no incentive to do anything because they are guaranteed a profit.”

— City Councilor Roger Beaupre

On Tuesday, the mayor’s tone about the garage and surface lots was markedly different, saying the company has been “very responsive” and saying that he liked their ideas for increasing usage.

Council President Liam LaFountain also said he was hoping to drill further down in the data and hear more concrete solutions on Tuesday.

LaFountain pointed out that the council – in August 2023 — asked City Manager Jim Bennett to provide the council with some ideas about parking companies that could be used in Biddeford.

Bennet said “things were going well” and that he basically forgot about the council’s request.

Betsy Martin, a senior citizen advocate and chair of Age Friendly Biddeford, said she has received a lot of negative feedback about the garage.

She suggested that the city should implement a shuttle service between the garage and downtown because “it’s not an easy walk” for seniors.

Grab said that he would personally attend the council’s next meeting in January.

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City commits to paying contractor in-full

~ Randy Seaver ~ 5 Comments

The Biddeford City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to find funds in its current budget to fully repay a contractor who led the effort to renovate the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center.

Jim Godbout, a well-known community volunteer and philanthropist, appeared before the council Tuesday to provide an update about the project and its funding.

Earlier this year, city officials “cleaned out” an encampment of unhoused residents that was located adjacent to Mechanic’s Park on Water Street.

Part of the city’s plan to address issues related to the unhoused included funding a renovation project that would allow overnight respite at the Seeds of Hope building on South Street by renovating and improving the building’s second floor.

The Seeds of Hope building is a former Episcopalian church, built more than 100 years ago that takes up an entire city block.

On Tuesday, Godbout was asked to provide the council with a timeline of events that led to confusion about how the renovation work would be funded.

Jim Godbout, owner of Godbout Plumbing & Heating

“City officials asked me in mid-June if I could help with the project that would provide expanded resources for unhoused people,” Godbout said. “I was happy to help because these projects are an important element for our community.”

Godbout told the council that he immediately knew that the renovation would be “a good-sized project” that would require the help of other contractors. The city, he said, provided a budget of $800,000 to complete the task.

In June, City Manager James Bennett told the council that the $800,000 project would be funded with federal funds the city receives for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).

With the funding source seemingly secured, Godbout said he and others jumped in feet first, even though he was still involved in another massive project to convert the St. Andre Church building into a teen center, a $3.5 million project that took almost two years to complete.

Despite being stretched thin, Godbout told the council that he was confident he and others could finish the job at Seeds of Hope before winter weather arrives.

“Before we could even start work, we had to remove more than eight 30-yard dumpsters worth of debris from the second floor,” Godbout explained, telling councilors that the building’s roof repairs were the first priority for his team.

But both Godbout and the city were soon presented with a glitch.

Because the building is on the historic register, the renovation project required additional approvals and permits.

Godbout said he was about two-thirds into the project when he received a call in mid-August from city officials telling him that there were problems securing the CDBG funds and applying for the necessary historic renovation approvals.

“I couldn’t just walk away at that point,” Godbout said. “I decided to keep moving forward because the community needed this project done.”

Godbout praised the help and in-kind donations he received from several other contractors, pointing out that his team was able to complete the project well under its initial $800,000 budget, for a total of roughly $655,000.

Although Godbout made sure that the other contractors were paid, the city was unable to pay him for the full balance of his work. Godbout said he was thankful that the city was able to pay him $400,000; with a plan for him to raise an additional $250,000 in private donations to cover the project’s total cost.

“I couldn’t just walk away at that point. I decided to keep moving forward because the community needed this project done.”

— Jim Godbout

“I have been doing projects in Biddeford for more than 40 years,” Godbout said. “I am happy to help, but the cost comes back to me.”

Following Godbout’s presentation, Mayor Marty Grohman expressed gratitude for the work done by Godbout and others, including volunteers.

“Thanks for getting this project over the finish line,” Grohman said. “The key is that this project is done. It was a team effort and a significant achievement.”

Council President Liam LaFountain then made a motion to direct the city manager to find possible funding sources in the current budget in order to pay Godbout the balance he is owed.

“We now have an opportunity to make good on our obligation,” LaFountain said.

Councilor Marc Lessard said he was in “complete agreement” that Godbout and his team should be “made whole.”

“We all have to pay our personal bills on time,” Lessard said. “It’s no different for the city. We need to be more efficient, and we need to show appreciation for the help we received.”

Bennett is expected to provide the council with suggestions about potential funding sources in January.

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Free Fallin’

~ Randy Seaver ~ 4 Comments

I have never been so ashamed to be a resident of Biddeford, Maine as I am tonight.

What I witnessed during this evening’s city council meeting was a complete and utter failure of leadership, morality and principles.

Tonight, the city council and Mayor Marty Grohman found a way to screw over a local businessman who, ironically, was just trying to help the city help our unhoused neighbors.

Tonight, the city sent a signal to every resident, business owner and potential resident: Welcome to Biddeford! We don’t pay our bills!

Gotta hand it to our courageous leaders. They finally found a way to save taxpayers some money. We just won’t pay our bills.

Sure, Biddeford was recently  featured in Good Housekeeping magazine for its Christmas “vibe.” Even a Boston news station plugged the city as a top destination.

Well laddi, laddi da! Isn’t that precious?

Sip your fucking cocoa, marvel at the white lights strung along Main Street, and poop unicorn dust in the Lincoln lobby, but never forget that this is also a city being run by an incompetent, self-absorbed moron.

Why am I pissed?

If you don’t know him, Jim Godbout is the owner of Godbout Plumbing and Heating, one of the most respected local companies in southern Maine.

Jim Godbout/ File Photo

Jim is, perhaps, one of the most decent, kind, generous and hardworking guys you could ever hope to meet. Earlier this year, I listed him as one of the 20 most influential people in the Biddeford-Saco area.

Godbout is always ready to help the community, and he is damn good at rallying other business leaders to pitch in and make seemingly impossible dreams possible.

For example, Godbout led the effort to save and restore Waterhouse Field. As a recognition for his civic leadership there is a street named in his honor next to the field.

Jim has also been leading the renovations at the former St. Andre Church into a community teen center. He is involved in working with students at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology.

And recently, he again agreed to help the city by providing bare-bones pricing for necessary renovation work at the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center.

That renovation project was spearheaded and rushed through by Mayor Marty Grohman and City Manager Jim Bennett.

After all, the city needed some good PR after demolishing a homeless encampment on Water Street near Mechanic’s Park earlier this year.

The city wanted to make sure some homeless advocacy group didn’t sue us for removing homeless folks without providing an option for somewhere better where they could safely spend the night.

The city manager assured the council earlier this year that the cost of upgrading the Seeds of Hope Building would be covered by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Yippee! Free money from the federal government, Bennett assured us. Taxpayers will not feel a pinch.

Oopsie! Something went wrong.

Get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy

Apparently, the renovation work at Seeds of Hope proved to be more intense than what the city thought it would be. There were problems with the roof and even bigger problems with windows that were literally falling out of the building.

No worries, the city and its contractors pushed forward. They did a truly awesome job. The Seeds of Hope is now able to serve more people although the demand for their service is exploding.

Once the work was finished, Godbout, following an agreed upon budget cost, sent an invoice for his crew’s work, a total of about $655,000.

But the city found out that they could not use CDBG funds for the project.

And then there was silence.

A few days ago, on Nov. 4, Godbout sent a note and a copy of his invoice to Vassie Fowler, executive director of the Seeds of Hope.

“Vassie, please forward [this invoice] to the city as they had promised the funding for this project and have not come through with anything. I am carrying a lot for them making them look good having a warming center open in time for bad weather. Thanks, Jim.”

Godbout was unavailable for comment at press time, but here’s another glimpse at what kind of man Godbout is.

Godbout told the city that he would settle for $400,000 and go out to the community and run a fundraising campaign to cover the remaining $255,000 balance.

Let me say that again slowly. Godbout – a man who is getting screwed by the city – said he will settle for about 60 percent what was owed to him and would raise the remaining balance by coordinating a community fundraising drive.

So, taxpayers have to come up with $400,000 and then likely be called upon to donate to a fundraising campaign for the project.

Kids, you can’t make this shit up.

And the council bought it. Hook. Line and Sinker.

Although Council President Liam LaFountain made a motion to pay Godbout the full amount, only Councilor Marc Lessard voted in favor of paying Godbout every penny of what he is owed.

In the end, the council voted unanimously for the less painful option, even knowing that Godbout is paying interest on a loan he used to finance the work.

Godbout will get $400,000. He will have to raise the rest from the community.

Imagine when you get your next tax bill. Just tell the city to fuck off. Tell ‘em you’ll pay 60 percent of their debt and have Mayor Grohman open a lemonade stand to make up the difference.

If you don’t pay your taxes, the city will take your property. But if the city owes you money . . . sorry, Charlie.

What kind of message does this send to the larger world? What contractor will ever want to do work for Biddeford? Will this impact our bond rating?

Sure, come to Biddeford, visit the glorious Lincoln Hotel and fart hot cocoa from your ass. But when it gets right down to it. When our backs are against the wall. When there are no more shell games to play, this is a city that doesn’t pay its bills.

No wonder we just lost another finance director after only seven months on the job.

I have been covering Biddeford City Hall for nearly 30 years. This is an all-time low.

Lessard summed up his frustration with yet another of his famous pithy quotes. “I expected the city manager to be driving the car on this issue. Apparently, that car doesn’t have a steering wheel.”

And where was our illustrious lame-duck city manager? Reportedly he was home, still recovering from shoulder surgery.

I am ashamed to be from Biddeford tonight.

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That’s Some Bad Hat, Harry

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Biddeford City Councilor Marc Lessard and I have a long and somewhat tangled history that goes back more than two decades.

Lessard — who holds one of the two at-large seats on the council — is the longest serving elected member in the Biddeford-Saco area, and he can always be counted upon for a good quote, a clever analogy or a mind-baffling rationalization of his position on any given issue.

In all fairness, Old Orchard Beach Town Council Chairman Shawn O’Neill has held elected office in that tiny seaside hamlet since before the ocean was invented.

But back to Biddeford, its pristine beaches and a potential threat to public safety.

Earlier this week, the Biddeford City Council voted to table a potential change to its ordinances that would require all dogs to be leashed in Clifford Park, a rather densely wooded park that includes several walking and hiking trails near the center of the city.

Before we proceed any further, you should know that nothing drives your Google analytics better than the topics of food or dogs. Not abortion. Not climate change. Not gun control.

Dogs and pasta. That’s what really drives public engagement on the world-wide web. Serious as a heart attack. It’s true. Google it.

Anyway, Lessard is less than pleased that the council didn’t take more immediate action. He shared three graphic, personal examples of why dogs should always be on a leash. During the council discussion, Lessard told his peers that he has personally witnessed some gruesome attacks by unleashed dogs, including an attack on his four-year-old granddaughter and another story in which an unleashed dog killed another dog that was on a leash.

“If you saw what I saw, then you would support this change to require dogs to be on a leash,” Lessard said. “It’s a no brainer.”

But Councilor Bobby Mills, who rarely misses an opportunity either to pander to popular opinion or to be annoyed with what people say about him on the internet, said he sees no reason to change the ordinance that allows dogs “under voice control by their owners” to roam freely in Clifford Park.

“I have not heard an outcry to enact this,” Mills said, somehow ignoring the fact that more people have contacted the city council about this issue than any other issue since former Mayor James Grattelo changed his hairstylist in 1996.

Now it is well known that I am a huge fan of the 1975 movie Jaws. I have seen the film more than 250 times. I belong to three different Facebook Jaws Fans groups. For my Christmas present last year, my wife remodeled our upstairs bathroom to be “Jaws-themed.”

I am a Jaws fanatic. My father took me to see the movie on its opening weekend in 1975. I was 11 years old, and I haven’t gone above my ankles in the ocean since. True story.

So, how do we connect Marc Lessard to perhaps one of the greatest films of all time?

In response to Councilor Mills’ rather laissez-faire attitude about public safety, Lessard pulled out the big guns and decided to use the threat of not one, but of three great-white sharks near Biddeford’s beaches as an analogy for being pro-active when it comes to public safety.

Not just any sharks, mind you. But Great White sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, for you amateurs out there.

“Imagine if we knew that there were three great white sharks just off the shores of our beaches,” Lessard said. “Would we wait for a swimmer to be attacked before we closed the beach?”

Peter Benchley, the man who wrote the novel Jaws, which became one of the highest grossing films of all time, has said in recent years that he regretted writing the book because of how it generated such negative public perceptions about sharks, including the merciless and often illegal hunting of the species.

Look, you can feel bad for the sharks all you want, but Lessard is right. Those beaches should be closed.

In all seriousness, another very compelling reason to keep dogs on leashes in Clifford Park is the potential impact to other critters that live in what is widely considered to be a complex and thriving vernal pool habitat. Free-ranging dogs and these critters don’t mix well.

I get that people love their dogs and want to spend time recreating with them. I am a dog owner, but I am also keenly aware that not everyone loves my dog. Not everyone feels safe having a dog walk up to them in order to smell their genitals.

Clifford Park is a public park, not a dog park. Those beautiful trails are there for the benefit of everyone, including seniors, young children and even people who don’t own dogs.

My dog, Sasha, a Black Labrador, is very gentle and somewhat submissive. I have had two experiences in which other dogs (unleashed) pinned her to the ground with gnarling teeth bared.

If Bobby Mills wants to play the part of Amity Mayor Larry Vaughan, who said “those beaches will be open.” Well, so be it.

But if you’ve seen the movie Jaws you know that Amity’s Mayor was dead wrong, even if his kids were “on that beach, too.”

On Tuesday, Councilor Lessard played the part of Matt Hooper from the Oceanographic Institute on the mainland. “I think you’re going to ignore this particular problem until it jumps up and bites you in the ass.”

Hooper drives the boat, chief. And Lessard is right. Your right to swing your arms stops at my nose.

_____

My wife Laura says that Marc Lessard is more like Chief Martin Brody than Matt Hooper. You see, this is what happens in the case of an amateur trying to inject her opinion in a newspaper column.

Lessard has city hands. He’s been counting money his whole life. “That’s billions with a ‘B,’ boys” (Inside joke that only a few longtime observers of Biddeford politics will understand.)

Anyway, it’s only an island if you look at it from the water.

Originally published in Saco Bay News