Downtown parking once again an issue at city council

During public comments at the regular meeting of city council held on Jan. 17, the issue of a lack of enough downtown parking spaces was brought up by resident Deniece McCormick.

Mayor Kent Williams said to McCormick, “I hear you, it is a problem. At one time the city looked into purchasing property next to the old town hall, but that didn’t happen. This has been an ongoing discussion since I have been in office. The situation is there is no property available and if there was, then there is the problem of where to get the money to purchase and build it.”

Audience members, department heads and council members continued to discuss the problem and possible remedies that had been tried in the past. At one time the police department had imposed tickets on cars remaining more than two hours and E.P.D. Chief Vranish said that, due to having to pay an officer to patrol Main Street and the fact that many of the businesses and offices on Main Street and the side streets require a customer to be there more than two hours, they discontinued the program.

Council member Jen Hegeman suggested that the types of vehicles parking downtown may be the issue rather than spaces available.