Rockland — Downtown Rockland’s Brass Compass Cafe Monday night was granted a one-year lease on seating for a portion of Winslow Holbrook Park at the corner of Park and Main streets. The decision was made during a City Council meeting March 10, at which councilors noted that absent this year was the contentious attitude that had stirred debate at past meetings concerning the issue of allowing public seating in a public park. In the public portion of the meeting, the cafe’s owner, Lynn Archer, spoke in favor of the lease and not one person spoke in opposition.

In addition to talking about the lease, Archer spoke to councilors concerning the state of the brick pavers in the park and their need for repair. Her concern, in her words, was the need to keep people safe. She said the issue was supposed to be addressed last year and was not.

The term of Archer’s lease would be from May 15, 2014, to Oct. 31, 2014.

Councilor Frank Isganitis proposed offering a five-year lease as an amendment to the one-year agreement, making it effective under the same terms and conditions and effective through October 2018. His reasoning was so the city would not have to go through the yearly renewal process, but it met with resistance from other council members.

Councilor Frank Hebert said he was not in favor of the five-year extension, partly because it had been such a contentious issue in the past.  He said he would be hesitant to keep the same deal in place for five years because he considers the lease a “sweetheart deal” in the first place and would ask that the rent be annually increased for such an extended period.

Councilor Elizabeth Dickerson said she would love for it to be a continuing agreement because the arrangement had been beneficial for everyone. She also noted that it was not the contentious issue this year that it had been in the past.

 “It would be good to have it on a year-to-year basis, just so we can have a check-in, just to see how things are going,” said Dickerson. “If we want to leave it for a year and revisit it and maybe consider a continuing thing, I would be in favor of that.”

Isganitis countered with the reason that “the wound, if you will,” as an analogy, won’t heal because they keep opening it up every year. He noted last year there was healthy debate and good consideration on the issue and he felt they had worked some things out.

“I think that’s supported by the fact thatLynn’s sitting out there by herself and there’s no one against her,” said Isganitis.

Isganitis said he would favor a three-year lease with a 5 pecent escalation in the rent if it meant getting it passed.

Dickerson said those types of discussions were better had with all parties sitting down at the table, so all could come to some kind of agreement before they just started voting.

“I just don’t feel comfortable sitting here talking about different levels of rent here at this point, when we have this license agreement in front of us, without giving Ms. Archer the opportunity to think about what she wants to do,” she said.

Herbert proposed it get postponed to the April meeting.

Dickerson strongly urged councilors not to postpone voting on the agreement before them.

“Even though it seems like the dead of winter out right now, it is March and in the restaurant business postponing something like this till April is not a good place to be,” she said. “The time to talk about it is the next cycle, without summer roaring up on us.”

Mayor Larry Pritchett asked Archer to comment on postponing or accepting the agreement as it stood.

Archer said it would be hard for her to think about increments and more money at this point. She said she would be very comfortable in renewing her license and doing what she has done in years past.

“I think it only makes good sense to talk about a long-term agreement,” she said. “There is no opposition and it appears to be that we have found our balance. I think we have found a way to coexist on that corner. And it’s important that everybody be heard, whether we do it every three years or five years, so it is wisdom of the Council that I will abide by. It would be easier to talk about it in October. I’m happy to come back and talk about it in October if that works for the Council.”

The amendment to consider a five-year lease failed by 4 to 1 vote, and the motion granting Brass Compass a one-year lease to place tables outside in Winslow Holbrook Park passed unanimously.