York Town News
Town praises work of Ellis Park trustees, focuses on improved dialogue
By Larry Favinger
YORK - A discussion with the Ellis Short Sands Park Trustees that was part of Monday night's Board of Selectmen meeting didn't result in a change to the parking meter hours at York Beach at this time, but did improve communication between the two boards.There were some contentions expressed during the public comment portion of the meeting, but much of that was defused when the trustees literally sat down opposite the selectmen to talk about their duties.
Everyone was in agreement that the trustees do an outstanding job of managing the park and that the town is indeed fortunate to have them on the job.
There were, however, questions about the process the trustees had used in a recent effort to increase the metered parking hours - currently 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. - to 7 a.m. to midnight.
That decision was short-circuited by Town Manager Robert Yandow, whose research showed York police had no power to enforce metered parking except between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.
"We were the subject of great bad press," Trustee Chairman William Burnham told the selectmen, referring to publicity from recent selectmen's meetings and the outspoken criticism of some York Beach businesses.
"I take issue with being accused of hitting below the belt" with the increase, he said in reference to a comment from an earlier meeting, noting the extended hours had been in the planning stages for more than a year.
The issue came to the forefront at the June 26 meeting, at which there were no trustees present.
Trustee Rick Boston said the "trustees are always willing to talk to selectmen," but the action to stay with the old practice for the meters was "taken without a meeting."
Due to declining revenue to support the park, the trustees had to make a change, he said, and felt the new metered parking hours would be fairer than increasing the fee itself.
"We don't want to go up," Burnham said of the parking rate. "This is a family beach."
Selectman Torbert Macdonald Jr. said during that Maine law gives the power over parking and traffic to the selectmen.
Burnham stressed several times that the money from the parking meters and parking fines remains in York Beach and is used to maintain the park.
Joe Lipton, who owns the Inn on the Blues in York Beach, was one of the critics of the increased hours and brought his concerns to the selectmen in June.
Speaking Monday night, he noted that the trustees do a fantastic job of managing the park and said he applauds what they do.
"These guys do a great job," he said.
He said he was concerned with the process to increase the hours because no one had an opportunity to offer input before it was accomplished.
Before going public with his concerns, he said, "I did try to contact them (the trustees) … I tried my hardest to do this behind closed doors."
Joining Burnham and Boston at the table for the discussion were trustees John Garfield, John Matthews and Andrew Furlong.
Burnham told the selectmen, "Our function is to make sure the public enjoys the park. We like to think we do a good job down there. We just want to do our job and move on."
The Ellis Short Sands Park Trustees committed $70,000 toward the purchase of a new street sweeper by the town in return for about 90 minutes of work each day for the summer season, which lasts about 90 days.
They also pay for a portion of the cost incurred by police in providing protection and enforcement at the park.
They pay for and provide general maintenance, keeping the playground equipped and in good shape, as well as the cost of lighting and safety efforts. They also cover the cost of the public restrooms.
The trustees' revenue is in the neighborhood of $250,000 a year from the 300 parking meters and the fines collected for violations, which they said does not come close to covering such expenses of the park and playground.
Projects on the board include upgrading the restrooms, which are too small, if approval can be gained from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and putting in better lighting and repaving the parking lot.
These will be done in that order, Burnham said, so that construction does not tear up new pavement in the lot.
Selectmen Vice Chairman Dwight Bardwell said that while the town recognizes the excellent work of the trustees and the asset the park is, there was "a frustration in the process" used to make the parking decision because of a lack of dialogue with the general public.
He said if beach businesses and the public sit down with the trustees and talk about these decisions, that frustration will disappear.
"There shouldn't be anything earth-shattering" coming up in the future, said Furlong, but he noted "more dialogue with our neighbors down there and the selectmen" would be a good way to go.
Macdonald said he appreciates the trustees' "old school" approach to keeping the quality of the park high and the costs low, but added, "you've been hurt by your anonymity."
He said that is "the nature of the time we live in," and if the trustees will "let people know what you're up to," a lot of problems can be averted.
As to the management provided by the trustees, Macdonald was echoed by Chairman David Marshall and other board members when he said no one "could do it better. I hope in the future, which starts right now, we'll be on the same page."
