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During that hearing much of the discussion from area merchants
focused on parking issues around the downtown square.
When the committee of the whole convened, discussions on parking
spilled over into that meeting as well.
Another suggestion for additional parking spaces
A few weeks ago, city engineer Mark Mathon said there had been a
suggestion from a Lincoln resident that additional spaces might be
created on Pulaski Street at the intersection with McLean Street. In
the end the city indeed decided that there was a place where four
new spaces could be created.
Tuesday evening Mayor Keith Snyder said that a second suggestion
had come in that perhaps the downtown area could gain at least two
additional parking spaces.
The area on the north side of the post office, at the
intersection of Broadway and McLean, is currently a no-parking zone
specifically designated for parking of emergency vehicles.
Snyder said it had been observed that the space is not being used
in that manner, and he asked Mathon, fire Chief Kent Hulett and
Tracy Jackson, street and alley superintendent, to investigate the
situation and bring back their recommendation as to whether it would
be feasible to open that area up for public parking.
A proposal for parking enforcement leads to a deeper discussion
Alderman Tom O'Donohue asked that a new ordinance be put on the
agenda for approval regarding a volunteer program for parking
enforcement.
Snyder explained the proposal, saying that the ordinance would
allow the city to put volunteers to the task of enforcing the city's
two-hour parking limit.
He explained that the volunteers would make chalk marks on tires
and issue citations when a vehicle remained in one space more than
two hours. The volunteers would have no arresting authority and
would have to carry cell phones to contact local police in the event
of a confrontation.
Alderwoman Joni Tibbs was the first one to say that she was not
aware of the two-hour parking limit and that she was also a
violator. She said she felt the two-hour limit was detrimental to
shoppers, as it is easy to spend more than two hours in downtown
stores.
The discussions, just as they did at the hearing, moved on to the
people who pull into a space and leave their car in one place all
day. The fact that many of the people are downtown employees, either
at the county courthouse or at area businesses, is the largest part
of the problem.
Alderman David Armbrust spoke up, talking about an experience he
had in another town. He said he used to spend time in Galena as a
shopper. An occasion arose when he was given a parking ticket
there. He said he paid the ticket, but he also sent with the payment
copies of receipts showing he had spent several hundred dollars in
various businesses in the town that day. He said he noted to the
town that while they got their money for the ticket, it also cost
them shoppers. He said he has not gone back to Galena since then.
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The council went on to talk about the dissatisfaction that was
expressed when the downtown area had parking meters and meter maids,
which eventually led to the removal of the meters. At that time,
according to O'Donohue, when customers complained that they'd gotten
a ticket, many of the area businesses would take the ticket and pay
it themselves.
Wanda Lee Rohlfs, director of Main Street Lincoln, had stayed for
the committee-of-the-whole meeting, and she said one thing that
might help is if the public were made more aware of the fact that
there are some public parking lots where they can park all day.
O'Donohue recalled that one company he worked for in the downtown
area required that the employees use the paid parking lots in town,
and he also noted that the lot behind Miller & Miller Attorneys is
where State Bank of Lincoln rents spaces for their employees,
keeping those vehicles off the street. He said that other businesses
could do the same thing if they would.
City attorney Bill Bates said this is an issue that comes up
every year or so, and it is always an issue with county employees
parking and leaving their vehicles all day.
Alderman Jeff Hoinacki said that yes, that was the case, and
until the city and county can get on the same page with this
problem, it probably isn't going to be resolved.
Turning back to the idea of volunteer enforcement, it was noted
that there was a similar program in the past for the enforcement of
handicap parking violations. Bates commented that in that case, the
volunteers got a little "over zealous" in their duties.
Lincoln city police Chief Ken Greenslate said that keeping that
from happening in this situation would be his responsibility and he
would monitor it closely.
The need for a volunteer program stems from the fact that when
Greenslate was made the chief of police, it left an empty space in
the force. Due to budget concerns, Greenslate told the city at his
appointment that he would not request a replacement officer.
Because of this, the force is stretched thin, and there are not
sufficient man-hours for the police department to enforce the
two-hour parking.
O'Donohue's request for the new ordinance was added to next
Monday night's voting agenda, but it was not clear during the
committee meeting whether or not the motion will pass.
[By NILA SMITH]
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