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The Traffic Commission's recommendation to increase parking fines and "level" the space rental in city-leased parking lots was discussed again by the Warsaw city council Monday.
At the March 8 meeting, traffic commissioner Kip Shuter, representing the commissioners, recommended the board increase the parking fines from $10 for the first violation and subsequent violations to $20. Currently, the fees are $5 for the first violation and $10 for subsequent violations.
Parking along the curbs downtown is free for two hours, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., on several streets and in the city lot between Buffalo and Indiana streets, north of Jefferson Street.
"We'd like to get people into a lot, rather than get three tickets a month," Shuter said two weeks ago. "There are a lot of people who just move their cars every two hours."
Monday, councilman Bob Morrison said he has changed his mind about the subject. He originally opposed the increase.
From his security post at the entrance of the Justice Building, Morrison said, he observed county employees leaving the courthouse during their break every two hours or so to move their cars, an activity that "looks like a cakewalk."
Morrison suggested the parking time be reduced to one hour or 90 minutes around the courthouse because department heads wouldn't allow a break that often.
"We have county employees who don't care that there is no parking space available for jury selection, emergency management or board of zoning appeals meetings. Employees get a break every two hours. We're either going to catch them, or their bosses won't let them leave. Leadership is not setting an example," Morrison said.
He also recommended a "Denver boot," a device affixed to a vehicle's wheel to keep it from moving, be installed on cars or trucks that have outstanding parking tickets.
Councilman Bill Rhoades said he didn't want to change the hours of free parking, that an hour for visitors or downtown shoppers is not enough.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins said the city doesn't have the "boots" at this time and they would only be used on serial offenders. He said the two-hour free parking time should remain the same.
Councilman Joe Thallemer asked if there were enough parking spaces in the county parking lot for all county employees, and Morrison said yes.
There are 2,220 parking spaces downtown and 1,770 private parking spaces available for the 1,600 employees who work downtown.
There are 60, two-hour off-street spaces, 340 spaces on the street with a two-hour limit and 40 free parking spaces off the streets. The city has 155 reserved parking spaces available.
City attorney Mike Valentine said his office has processed two grossly outstanding parking ticket violations in the last six months.
"We're not overwhelmed," Valentine said.
Last month Shuter also said the traffic commission recommends changing the monthly parking space rent to $15. Space rentals vary in price from $12 to $20 per month, depending on the lot.
Wiggins said about 70 percent of the spaces are rented. The across-the-board $15 fee would help the city break even.
The board also:
• Approved Ordinance 2005-03-02, rezoning 32.1 acres west of Ind. 15 from C-3, arterial commercial, to R-2, residential, as recommended by the plan commission.
The commission also recommended and the council approved Ordinance 2005-03-03, vacating an unimproved alley west of 629 S. Lake St. and south of Bass Street as requested by DeWayne and Becky Busz; and Ordinance 2005-03-04, vacating a public way between Lots 27 and 28 Lakeside Park, west of Park Avenue, as requested by Ronnie and Tamara Neiswonger.
• Approved Ordinance 2005-03-05 reinstating Section 2.61 of the city code. The section was inadvertently removed and needed to be changed only to refer to the current policy handbook ordinance.
Approved Ordinance 200-5-03-06 to adopt employee personnel policy handbooks for fire, general, police and civilian police personnel.
• Approved a transfer of $5,000 in the cumulative capital development fund's professional services to CCD improvements to cover costs for the downtown improvement/streetscape project.
Wiggins said the money will hopefully be replaced by an Indiana Association of Cities and Towns grant.
"I'm relatively confident we will receive the grant funds," Wiggins said of the $30,000 IACT award. Award announcements are set for the next week or two.
City planner Jeremy Skinner said he didn't anticipate any change orders on the job, that items leading to changes last year have been thoroughly reviewed by himself and the contractor.
The council has budgeted $150,000 for this summer's work. Clounie Landscaping of Huntington's bid was deemed the lowest by the Warsaw Board of Works Friday, coming in at $155,000.
• Approved tax abatements from J&D Enterprises (Warsaw Engineering and Fabricating); DePuy Orthopedics Inc.; Welsh Development; Welsh Development and Spartech Plastics.
• Reviewed Ordinance 2005-03-08 regarding erosion and sedimentation, which essentially makes the city responsible for erosion control at commercial and industrial construction sites instead of the soil and water conservation district.
• Accepted a conflict of interest disclosure statement presented by George Clemens as owner of Rabb - Kinetico Water Systems and residential rental property.
City councilmen are Jeff Grose, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, Bob Morrison and Joe Thallemer. Charlie Smith was absent.
