Co-op Garage Start Of A Trend?
(Page 3 of 4)
September/October 1971
By Mark Mendel
An AOA (Administration On Aging) poster in the office pronounces: "Adequate available transportation for the elderly is vital to successful living in later years." The garage co-op is dealing with this statement by sharing its facilities with a bus service for older people, funded by the Regional Health Agency and supervised by CAP. The free bus takes old persons to receive medical treatment.
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Mike Breton, the bus driver, is an enthusiastic Co-op member. "It helped me out. Vern fixed a muffler, fixed the underneath, put in a new riveted floor. All for free. The muffler cost $7.46 and I know they sell for $11 - 18."
Secretary Catherine Codge puts down the telephone. "I was just talking to this lady with the longest breath. You know, you just try to get in between it. Yes, my husband and I are both members. We've bought 12 tires, rebuilt a floor and we got my '59 Pontiac ready for inspection. It's really been great. We're giving people responsibility too, and that teaches a lot."
Reverend Krider encourages people to join the Madison Co-op or start their own. "We'd be happy to help others get set up. Pine Tree Legal helped us with our by-laws. We'll mail anyone a copy. Our future is hopeful. We've investigated selling gasoline but we'd have to install two enormous tanks. A fuel oil cooperative or a food buying club is more likely. Our Co-op has a broad charter and this garage should only be one enterprise."
The concept of a group of Maine people hiring themselves a mechanic is working in Hartland too. The Hartland Co-op Garage now has 41 members since formation last October.
It's located on Route 152 in Hartland and is run by mechanic Calvin La Breck, his wife Lucy and another Hartland mechanic, Charley Brown. "We're a little different here," says Lucy, "because Hartland is different from Madison. A little wilder, you know."
Local parts dealers and garages have been less willing to recognize the Hartland Co-op as a legitimate garage and grant them the dealer's discounts. "Until we got our battery charger," says Calvin, "they were soaking us two dollars for a battery charge up the road."
Perhaps, since Hartland is more isolated than Madison, they haven't the wide range of dealers to trade with. But more specifically there may be hostility to a repair shop set up to help people rather than to make someone a profit. The Hartland Co-op charges no dues after a $10 entrance fee, but gets two dollars an hour labor or fifty cents if members work on their own cars. Members may buy tires cheaply and two grades of oil are sold. Quaker State 10-W-30, a superior oil, costs members 45 cents a quart The Mammoth Mart in Waterville sells it at 67 cents and gas stations get 75 - 90 cents for the same product
