Business owner Mike Long's convenience store, Par T Pac, is surrounded with hand-written signs protesting Boyne City's plans to reconstruct streets, cutting into and eliminating eight of the store's 12 parking spaces. Citizen-Journal Staff

Long's convenience store, Par T Pac, on the corner of State and Park streets, was surrounded with handwritten signs making statements such as "city will put me out of business." For days Long could be seen outside the store relating his story to people who stopped to find out what was going on.

Even state Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer stopped by.

The reason for Long's protest is city-planned street reconstruction that cuts into and eliminates eight of the store's 12 parking spaces.

With Par T Pac located a few blocks from downtown, Long says people won't walk to his store.

The street project involves the city, but also the Michigan Department of Transportation because a portion of State Street is a state road. That's where Rep. Elsenheimer comes in. Long said Elsenheimer expressed an understanding of Long's predicament and thatÊhe would work with MDOT to find a solution.

In the meantime, Long said he was never notified by the city or MDOT of the street construction changes. He only found out about a week prior to the commencement of the project, which is May 14.

City manager Michael Cain said it was true notification did not get to Long and he has apologized to the storeowner.

In addition, the Downtown Development Authority met with Long and has recommended to the city it work with MDOT to save more parking spaces for Par T Pac.