Monday evening during public comment, a couple of downtown merchants spoke to the issue of deteriorated sidewalks and their negative impact on their respective businesses. They made their points and following their remarks, Chair Selectwoman Gilman sought concurrence from the Town Manager that immediate attention be directed at this issue and to report what could be done now with available funds.
Sadly, it is likely nothing would have happened this year to begin to repair/replace deteriorated sections of downtown sidewalks, if it even does after these pleas by merchants. In the past the Board of Selectmen have defeated budget measures to deal with this issue. Instead warrant articles have been proposed to voters to spend millions of dollars to beautify the downtown by burying utility lines and removing their poles, installing new street lights and, yes, addressing the sidewalks and crosswalks. Voters overwhelming rejected these warrant articles as too expensive and unnecessary. Never once were they given the chance to vote on fixing the sidewalks until this year.
This year's Town budget included $80,000 as a down payment on addressing sidewalks. While this is totally inadequate, it is a start. A comprehensive study was to have been done to identify all sidewalk requiring repair/replacement and the estimated cost. Uncertainty exists whether it ever was done. Based on the budgeted amount one could certainly question the seriousness of the Town to expeditiously address the deficiencies of downtown sidewalks. And, what about sidewalks on Lincoln Street? Sadly no one attended last night to represent those merchants.
Squeaky wheels get the grease. On the priority list, merchants view new sidewalks as probably down on their list of concerns to be vocal about. Nice to have but not must have. Why? Sidewalks don't directly generate cash income. This is evident by the few merchants who sweep their sidewalks clean everyday and the lack of squeak from merchant groups.
ReplyDeleteThe simple dominant vital factors that make for vibrant Exeter shopping areas are value of the goods offered for sale, merchant loyalty, convenience of access and the enjoyment factor.
Was this article written by Dan Chartrand? Why do you advocate more taxpayer dollars being spent on pet projects of your choice? If business owners want the sidewalks in front of their stores improved, they should be allowed to get off their rears and do it themselves. This is just more cronyism.
ReplyDeleteDuring thirty five years in Exeter, I have never heard a single soul tell me they refuse to shop Exeter because of lack of new sidewalks or the existence of power lines. Furthermore I have never heard anyone say they shop Newburyport or Portsmouth because of brick sidewalks. We all no doubt shop Newburyport and Portsmouth simple because of the retail selection.
ReplyDeleteThe sad reality is that when the selectmen finally decides to fix the sidewalks, they will overspend by putting in brick sidewalks or some other folly instead of just using the sidewalk paving machine we already own and putting in a new asphalt sidewalk. Didn't Ferraro recommend putting the money to fix the downtown sidewalks into the budget this past year? Now, all of a sudden it's Gilman's bright idea. Politics as usual.
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