Dear Editor:

The article, "Parking questions dominate meeting" published on July 13 covering last Thursday's "MDOT Project Downtown Project Forum" bears little resemblance to the actual event and seems to have written with intent to sow further discord in the community on this subject.

The forum was sponsored by the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Lincoln County Regional Planning; thanks are due to both entities for initiating the first of what will hopefully be continued dialogue and strategic planning for dealing with the impact of the MDOT project on Wiscasset during and following construction. The meeting was open to the public and attendees reflected a cross-section of downtown residents and business people. Equally represented were former proponents and opponents of the controversial MDOT project, now working together to minimize adverse impacts to our downtown economy and livability as the project moves forward.

The stated goals were fairly broad-based in the realm of communication and outreach and it was no surprise that questions and concerns relating to parking were raised by participants, as the project will remove nearly half of the current parking downtown. However, the article stated that there was a "vocal group of project opponents" present and that when one of the moderators asked for "constructive suggestions to help the businesses downtown during construction... all those who had come to protest the parking issue got up and walked out." These assertions are patently false. There had been a steady trickle of departures from the meeting, primarily business owners and even a selectman, as it progressed.

At the point it was proposed to break into small working groups, all but two of the remaining downtown owners--both those who had earlier supported or opposed the MDOT plan-- took advantage of the pause to depart without causing disruption, in order to open for the day. It is unfortunate that no effort was made to interview any of the departees, as the paper could have avoided publishing errant speculation as fact.

James Kochan

Wiscasset