I have a question, which is: Where do all the people who work in City Hall and the NPD park while they are at work?
I have another question: How many people are we talking about?
Forget the questions and let's focus. "Focus, Gillian," a former co-worker used to say to me when I couldn't understand what he was telling me (he was Kuwaiti), "Focus."
All of the parking around City Hall is 30 minute, one hour, two hour, etc. Do the people who work in City Hall take up spots in the Green St. lot, or on the street? Is there somewhere specific they are required to park?
Most important, do they get tickets if they don't move their vehicles within the time restrictions other people have to obey? Is this one of the 'perks' of working for the city?
But on to the news of the day.
The Newburyport Redevelopment Authority and the Waterfront Trust decided last night to 'combine forces,' so to speak, to charge for parking in all of the lots on the river (weekends and holidays only, for now). Read about it here, in the Daily News.
I ask again - what about people who are stopping in at the Chamber of Commerce? That paved area encompasses a lot of drive-through, stop-in only traffic.
Those (contracted) parking attendants are not that understanding of "but I'm only dropping off ... picking up ... " (unlike, strangely, the attendants at the lot at Plum Island Point, who let you park for free for 15 mins. if you're just going to snap a photo, etc.) And although I've only paid to park in an NRA lot twice, I was not given a ticket either time.
(Apparently there might be some malfeasance going on with the company that collects the parking fees.)
I don't object to them charging for parking, necessarily, but I just want to know what exceptions, if any, there are. Of course, the 'pay and display,' when/if it is implemented, will take care of this.
I won't even go into the fact that this is revenue the city could be collecting, if those 2 entities didn't exist. But then, as the mayor once pointed out, the city would also be responsible for maintaining the park, plowing the lots, and keeping it all lit at night.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
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7 comments:
City Hall employees park in one of four areas:
* Green Street between City Hall and the IC Church
* Titcomb Street
* Brown Square
* Waterfront Park dirt lot
Thanks, Ari ... but do they have to run out and move their cars every 2 or 3 hours?
The answer to your question is YES! When 'parked in a limited parking spot, a City Employee does need to git up and go move their car. Usually and hopefully to a non timed spot. Market Street, Washington Street, or even Merrimac Street. The strip of drive way next to Brown's Park (AKA Brown's Square, which is not an accepted limited parking area but is signed as such) is usually taken up by those energetic enough to get in early (7 AM ish) before the Store Owners and employees take up the area, or patrons, employees of the businesses along that strip.
Not all of the mentioned areas have time restricted parking and then there is the waving of some tickets by known names at the Clerk's Office, who has the ultimate power of enforcement (I have NEVER used this method of action as I have always paid my fine. $5.00 to $15.00 is a very cheap parking fine compared to other cities and choices. The Police have 'claimed' the spaces in front of the Green Street Station and the first row of the Green Street Parking lot as 'Special Parking' only.the 'Alley' between the City Hall and Police Station have 'Special Parking for the Mayor and Marshall only'.
I basic statement, City Hall Employees are in direct competition for long term daily parking as every taxpayer and tourist. The Enterprise funded Water and Sewer Departments recognize this access problem and worked in th epast to have customer service preformed at the more accessible DPS, but the plans of this administration continue to require 'customers' to drive in circles to ask a simple question that could be directed to a more accessible spot and building. Maybe next administration will see the logic in moving some traffic and better customer service where his managers have suggested numerous times.
With 'parking' getting even tighter and more of a salable commodity, the keeping of city business in the 'Downtown Area' is very uneconomically unsound and very questionable as to its ability to properly service 'customers' and 'taxpayers' alike.
This theory was visited when the State exited the Police Station / Court House' and Built new digs at the Traffic circle location. The 'New' Police Station was suggested to be in the industrial Park for mediate access to the whole City and a Sub Station be manned 'Downtown'. Too late for such 'progressive' thinking now!
Sorry for the back to back posts, but to answer another question you posed. The area from Merrimac Street to the 'Black Cow Boat Ramp' is 'City Property and cannot be a pay or restricted lot, only by City Council decree. The alley ways to 'Brown's Wharf are 'privately owned and can be restricted at will by the owners.
The NRA 'area' in question does not encompass the locations you are questioning.
Pedro, On your first post - thank you for the clearing that up. I was just curious. I'm not sure yet where I come down on providing city employees with parking (but I guess right now I'm tendng towards they probably shoud be).
Second (and no worries about back-to-back posts), I always thought the right-sie drive into the Waterfront Trust lot was one way and the other side was for exit only. Of course, I don't think there's signage to that effect, so that's another question cleared up.
Thanks!
I did not mention that City Hall Employees or any employees of any kind should receive or be given 'special parking privileges'. Quite the opposite, I believe that City Hall should not be in such a busy place. Dollar for dollar, the more we move from that building more and less expensive customer service and proper management of personnel can be achieved. Having to drive the circle for up to a half hour to just find parking to access City Services or pay a bill is frustrating enough. To actually accomplish the parking task than find either an absence of person or a lacking in knowledge is just unforgiving and a reflection of misguided management of our public funds.
City Hall would make the greatest Community Center, housing all kinds of public and community service organizations ever. Just not a reflective or useful building or location to offer or complete the publics business.
The 'rent' passable from this location and building could replace the structure for a more useful and economically accessible public building in a location that is not in competition with the tourist orientated downtown.
Just one opinion....
Hmmm, that's interesting! I'll have to think on that one ...
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