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As reported in Dogtown Wire , it looks like Mayor Hays has found a solution to the illegal use by Valentines Restaurant of public parking spaces along the east side of Willow Street. The Mayor has introduced Resolution R-08-112 for next Monday night's City Council meeting. This resolution "Authorizing the management of parking on the east side of Willow Street between Broadway and Second Street during events at Dickey-Stephens Baseball Stadium. (Arkansas Travelers)" The means the City will allow a private business to manage public parking spaces, built with public money, in the public right of way. These are the spaces shown in the piicture above and are ACROSS Willow Street from the ballpark.This resoultion requires only one vote by the City Council and no public hearing is scheduled to get the public's input. Perhaps the Mayor feels these are his spaces and the public should have no say in giving away the public spaces. That would be incredibly short sighted and out of touch with the voters and citizens.
So why can't Cregeens manage the spaces on Main Street for thier patrons? I will likely be first in line to manage the public spaces in front of my bed and breakfast on 5th Street. We always have parking issues on Friday and Saturday nights. This is a REALLY BAD idea. What is worse, is that the day before this resolution was introduced, a high ranking NLRPD officer called me out of the blue and asked if I could wait until Wednesday to report anymore on this issue so the officer could call the Mayor's office and Planning office to see if there were any special arrangements made before enforcing the law. I expressed incredulity that the NLRPD had to check with the Mayor's office BEFORE enforcing a law on the books. With the resolution proposed by the Mayor today I guess I have my answer.
I guess it is good to be the Mayor and his friend. NLRPD apparently can't enforce the law withour checking with the Mayor. And if you are Bill Valentine, not only will the City build you a restaurant with no mortgage or loan payments, pay the operating expenses and the City splits the profits for the restuarant. Now the City is giving Valentines Restaurant control of dozens of public street parking spaces for the restaurant patrons during game nights and other events at Dickey-Stephens. What other restaurant or business is the City supporting like this in direct competition with other Argenta restaurants???? NONE!!!
IT MUST BE GOOD TO BE THE MAYOR"S FRIEND!!!
Ah the good ol' days
Written by darkcrwler, on 09-07-2008 08:47
Remember the good old days when you could take a crooked mayor, tar and feather him, and run him out of town on a rail?
Ah, the good old days. |
Waiting to hear back.....
Written by Big dog daddy, on 09-07-2008 09:11
I wanted to comment on this ,but I have a call in to the Mayor to see if its ok. As soon as I hear back, I'll let it rip. |
5th and Gum
Written by ambotian, on 09-07-2008 09:22
Scott, the same thing is happening on 5th and Gum on the public streets which surround a pay lot. |
Written by reece, on 09-07-2008 11:31
Well, I guess if Valentine's can use city parking places for their customers....Reno's can also. I think we will take all of the spots in front of Reno's on Main, and perhaps all of the newly aquired parking places that belonged to the Check Mate Club. I mean, it shouldn't be a problem right? Then Reno's could have valet parking! |
Yup
Written by Chauncy Gardener, on 09-07-2008 12:55
This goes to far. I gotta say that if this is a true report I will vote for someone else next election. It is right that if one business gets a special parking dispensation, every business should expect the same. The ballpark even has it's own parking lot. It isn't the residents fault the park design has unfavorable access to Valentine's, to the main gate and to the ticket windows. The ballpark people should go back to the drawing board and figure out some other workable solution.
Too far of a stretch, Mayor. |
Reece Has A Point
Written by Pygface, on 09-07-2008 18:03
A good point, in fact. So good that he, the guys who own Cornerstone, Argenta Seafood, Capeo, etc should either:
1) make a formal request to have an alderperson or the mayor sponsor similar legislation allowing them control over parking - not on Main Street proper, but in lots just off Main Street. By Argenta Drug, say. Or behind the library.
2) Show up at public comment with the above noted proposal noting the importance of equity.
Lets not forget - this is not without precedent. Somehow the Mayor has denoted 2 areas of the public street (non metered, mind you) as his and anothers parking spot.
Clearly, there is precedence for this in that cities control metered areas thereby giving them control of street parking but this is outright favoritism. |
FOUL BALL
Written by Levy Goddess, on 09-07-2008 18:47
This is not right!!!!! This kind of stuff is getting out of control! |
By the way
Written by Levy Goddess, on 09-07-2008 18:48
Now that people are raising hell about this he is putting it on the agenda to get it approved! And the police had to call to make sure....oh my feathers!!! |
Uhhhhh.....
Written by Big dog daddy, on 09-07-2008 20:59
Still waiting on that call from the mayor. Maybe he'll call tomorrow. |
Or..........
Written by Big dog daddy, on 09-07-2008 21:00
Maybe I could get a Variance? |
Or..........
Written by Big dog daddy, on 09-07-2008 21:01
Maybe I could get a Variance? |
Love the Arkansas Times
Written by darkcrwler, on 09-07-2008 21:17
Love the new nickname for the mayor - "Boss Hays"
(See origin)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_M._Tweed |
More like 'Boss Tom'...
Written by reader, on 10-07-2008 00:35
Hay's style is actually more modelled after 'Boss Tom' Pendergast of Kansas City Fame.
The 'style' is to simply just tell people they can do things and wait until someone complains or grant promises to people and then 'fix it up' later.
'Boss Tom' was famous for having the Kansas City Police check with HIM, first, before they did anything.
It was 'Boss Tom's gambling debts that finally brought him down. He was using taxpayer money to bet the horses.
That's how it all began with the Pendergast family in KC. Tom's older brother Joe won a bundle betting on a long-shot at the KC Track and then purchased a BAR and a HOTEL downtown. These places became the center of the universe in KC and they Pendergast family put every politician and policeman in their pocket and then put the youber brothers like Tom into power.
They never got caught for all the skimmed millions until Tom tried to pay off a huge gambling debt with city money.
Anyone seen P. Hays at the track, lately? |
Cone Day?
Written by reader, on 10-07-2008 00:39
Sounds like it's time to have 'Orange Cone Day' in Argenta!
Every business owner should hop over to Home-Depot or AutoZone and buy their own Orange Cones and on a designated day in the near
future... EVERYONE should just block off whatever Public Spaces they choose and say they have decided to 'Manage those spaces' for the day.
How about the day the Mobile Homes start arriving ( September 22 ) and they all detach their cars and try to park them all over town in the Public Spaces? |
Unfair
Written by Paul J, on 10-07-2008 11:12
In today's Democrat-Gazette Mayor Hays explains that Valentine's Restaurant is not a private business; it's a public enterprise like everything else at the ballpark. Hays suggests it's appropriate for the City to provide parking for Valentine's, as it has for other restaurants downtown (he mentions the alley parking spaces the City bought to help restaurants the 300 block of Main). The big difference, however, with Valentine's is that "public" parking is RESTRICTED for a single business. THIS is what people are calling unfair. Reno's doesn't control public spaces, neither does Cregeen's, and neither do the residents in Argenta. Availability is one thing; control is another. No matter how you frame it, the Mayor's resolution for Valentine's is unfair. |
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