By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Two-hour parking limits on the Carthage square and downtown would be lifted for January and February under a proposal to get final review in two weeks by the City Council.
But council members appeared divided in discussion on the proposal Tuesday night. The test will not be imposed unless the measure receives council approval Dec. 8.
The trial was recommended as a way to determine if parking restrictions still are needed around the square. But several on the council opposed the plan, and some questioned whether lifting the restrictions in January or February would be a fair test.
A view
The only public comment came from H.J. Johnson, who owns businesses on and near the square. He said the parking restrictions should remain.
“I think what we’re doing now is working, because it keeps people from sitting in the same space on the square all day long. Five votes to table would slow this thing down,” said Johnson, who is a former councilman.
The council’s public works committee had voted 3-1 to recommend the test after the council earlier rejected a series of changes, including an increase in fines for violating the two-hour limit. Violators now pay a $1 fine; the council balked at a proposal to raise the penalty to $15.
Councilman Bill Welch, committee chairman, said he was the lone dissenting vote because he wanted to see “some specialized situations” addressed. But he said he favors the trial and plans to vote for the ordinance.
“I think we need this as a test. I don’t think it’s ever been tested,” Welch said. “And I think January and February is the best time.”
Johnson gave the council photographs showing parking on all sides of the square to illustrate that many of the spaces are being used. He said there are several days when only four or five spaces are available on each side, adding “another 20 or 30 cars would be a problem.”
Wendi Douglas, director of the Carthage Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she thinks the two winter months would be the best time for the test, but she said some downtown workers now using parking lots may be more apt to park on the square if there is snow or ice.
Councilman Claude Newport said he’s not sure that holding the trial would be an accurate predictor of parking in the summer months, when the farmers market is on the square and there are more tourists in town.
Police Chief Greg Dagnan said he supports the trial because he does not believe the $1 fine is a deterrent, and his survey of downtown businesses indicated that some favored the experiment. Moving municipal court to Memorial Hall in January also will reduce the parking numbers, he said.
“I know there will be struggles, and I know it will be abused,” he said. “But my thought is we should see if it would work, and adapt in places we need to. If it doesn’t work in the slow months, we’ll know for sure it won’t work when the square’s busy.”
No comfort
Councilwoman Diane Sharits said she isn’t comfortable “with rescinding and then reinstating (the restrictions) when people are confused now.”
“The downtown is an important part of the city’s economy, and abuses will hurt business and sales tax,” she said. “I don’t support it.”
Councilman Mike Harris said he might favor a higher parking fine, though lower than $15, instead of ending parking enforcement.
“If I was a business owner, I’d be down here opposing it,” he said.
Mayor Jim Woestman said he favors the trial, but he said the experiment isn’t likely to work if downtown workers don’t continue to use the designated parking lots off the square.
Offices closed
Carthage city offices will be closed today and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving. Emergency police and fire services will be maintained.
