Two reporters for two different state-wide daily newspapers were on the hunt for a copy of the email letter transmitted on August 4, 2020 by city manager Jon Jennings to business owners in the Old Port today. The hunted email advised Exchange Street business owners that the ban on vehicular traffic will remain in place – presumably until November 1, 2020 – although the vague document did not state that.
The two reporters, one from the Bangor Daily News and the other from the Republican Press Herald, pressed a business owner on Exchange Street for a copy of the Jennings email. The same business owner refused to have a photograph taken by one of the print publications photographers. MHN.com received a copy of the Jennings’ email from city hall earlier this week.
“Unsurprisingly, the street closure survey did not demonstrate a clear consensus among businesses, it did highlight…” were the opening words of the email from The Decider Jennings. The Jennings email went on to state in bold letters, the closure to street traffic by vehicular traffic will remain in effect indefinitely. Mhn.com was critical of The Decider’s email because there’s no basic information included in the email. For example, how many business owners on Exchange Street were surveyed, how many business owners responded, were they small, local businesses or part of national/international corporations with unlimited resources, for starters. Mhn.com queried a representative of the city with these and more questions. No answer. What is The Decider hiding?
It has been reported in this blog previously that many Exchange Street retailers are opposed to this change because it is not possible for jewelry stores, clothing stores, high-end and low-end gift shops, paper product stores and more to display and sell their products on Exchange Street, for practical reasons. The owner of “The Paper Patch” the oldest business in the Old Port. has announced his closing for mid-September. The city has turned a vibrant retail community into not much more than a dog park he said previously on this blog.
One real estate professional with first-hand knowledge of the area has predicted that by the end of the year, numerous retail businesses will close as well. These small businesses rely on summer tourist businesses to keep them open during the slower winter months. But this year they won’t have that income from the summer season to rely on.
Please visit post herein dated August 11, 2020 for more background information on the subject.