ROCKLAND, Maine — The condominium association that manages the building that houses the Police Department, Maine Lighthouse Museum and the Maine Lobster Festival is broke, the city finance director said Monday.
The financial crisis at 1 Park Drive is because the lighthouse museum has not paid its share of expenses since 2009 and owes $150,000, Rockland finance director Tom Luttrell told city councilors on Monday night.
The city, museum and festival corporation purchased the building in 2007. The lighthouse museum occupies the most square footage — 50 percent of the building — and has the largest share of condo costs. The city owns 30 percent of the building and the Festival Corp. owns 20 percent.
The association has had difficulties paying its bills, including for heat, Luttrell said. On Jan. 8, a pipe in the heating and cooling system of the lighthouse museum burst and caused considerable damage after the ceiling collapsed and flooded sections of several rooms. The museum started an online gofundme fundraising effort to allow the organization to open again in mid-March by raising $15,000. The fund had raised $3,515 as of Monday.
The city and festival have been paying their condo fees, Luttrell said.
Councilor Valli Geiger said if the bank forecloses on the lighthouse museum, the city needs to be ready to take action to protect its own interests. She said there has been sentiment for City Hall to be back downtown and that this option as well as any other should be considered.
Mayor Frank Isganitis said the city also needs to protect the interest it has in the lighthouse collection.
The collection of lights from lighthouses was started by former Coast Guard Cmdr. Ken Black in 1971. The collection first was kept at the Coast Guard station and then the Shore Village Museum before relocating a decade ago to 1 Park Drive, where the lighthouse museum initially leased and then purchased space in the building.