By Paul Goldfinger, Editor and Jack Bredin, Reporter/Researcher. Blogfinger.net

On May 15 we posted a report of the May 14 Township Committee meeting where a rushed ordinance was presented for a first reading.  It promoted a pro-business plan to restrict downtown parking to 3 hours per parker.  No study had been done in preparation, and some Committeemen had misgivings, but in the end, all 5 voted for what seemed to us to be a strikingly deficient proposal.

A variety of concerns were expressed including the question of where the residents of that area who parked downtown would go, and that concern also was about those who work in the shops.

We have pointed out that there are often, in season, more cars in town, than there are spaces.  And this is particularly true in the shopping district which is close to the beach.  So was this just a mindless scheme to rearrange the chairs on the Titanic’s deck?

Who stood to benefit from this ordinance which seemed to be propelled  at full speed ahead by some special interest?  The most likely culprit seemed to be the Chamber of Commerce, pushing for an advantage regardless of the effects on the rest of the town’s demographics.

And why would the Mayor offer special attention to them when there already are concerns of favoritism at the Committee?   Are they so blind to the optics of such suspicious behavior?

It is difficult to even track the origins of the plan. Somehow it was placed on the agenda by the Mayor, but why was it rushed through without preliminary study and discussion?   Who was responsible for pushing this idea onto the Committee’s agenda and then trying to ram it through in less than two weeks?  The issue of process is at least as important as the half-baked almost incoherent ordinance itself

To get the background, click on the link below

3 hour parking plan ordinance first reading

At the May 24 meeting, the new ordinance was supposed to have a final vote by the Committee after the public portion when anyone could get up and speak about it. It seemed like the ordinance would pass easily based on the first vote.

Remarkably,  the President of the OG Chamber of Commerce got up and said that her group hadn’t discussed or voted on the issue, and that perhaps half of her organization was opposed to the plan. Some evidently were worried that the ordinance would be a bad public relations move.

But in the Coaster article prior to the first meeting, they reported that the Chamber was encouraging its members to go to the meeting and support the plan.   As for the past history of this idea, this Chamber official revealed that Joyce Klein, of the OGHOA, had come to the Chamber with the idea 2 years ago, but that the Parking Task Force had shot it down.

So who brought it to the Committee now?   The veil of secrecy once again is floating around the facts.

The meeting was sparsely attended.  But when some Committeemen spoke now, it appeared that they were going to do an about-face on their own ordinance that had passed 5-0 on May 14.  Carol Rizzo said, “We’ll do a study.” But she didn’t say who would do the study. Michael Brantley said, “We need a real study to make sure that we are not making things worse.”  So a motion was made to table the ordinance, and that passed, in an almost psychotic reversal, 5-0.

Tabling means that it could re-emerge again, but obviously it’s too late to affect this summer season.  Maybe it will  be buried with permit parking.

What isn’t clear is why the Committee did a total flip-flop now since most of the facts that are now known were available when they voted “Yes” 5-0 on May 14.   Did they come to their senses?  Were they out of their senses for the first vote?  Did the Chamber flip-flop and then strong arm the Mayor?

The public ought to worry about the procedures that are followed in the back rooms of the Neptune Governing Body.

BEVERLY KENNEY:

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