Asbury ends paid parking for winter
City moves to aid boardwalk merchants
By Nancy Shields COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU October 16, 2008
ASBURY PARK City officials Wednesday night suspended the new paid
parking on the beachfront for winter and will resume enforcement of
the numbered parking spots and pay stations shortly before Memorial
Day 2009.
That decision comes in part after boardwalk shopkeepers and
restaurant owners asked the City Council to consider the suspension
of required paid parking over the winter. The business owners, who
were part of the boardwalk's comeback over the summer, plan to stay
open Thursday through Monday to attract people to the beachfront on
a year-round basis.
Business owners said that enforcing the new parking regulations over
the winter would be a deterrent to their off-season efforts.
Councilman Ed Johnson said Wednesday night that the city has the
potential to make up the lost parking revenue in its negotiations
with developer Madison Marquette of an agreement governing money,
deadlines and other issues.
In a second matter that caught the attention of boardwalk
businesses, the city is expected to lay off 11 Special Class II
police officers by the new year. They have been working full time
with the 90-member police force.
The special officers have added to the city's efforts to ensure
safety and enforce quality-of-life laws. Some boardwalk merchants,
such as Eddie Catalano, who owns both ice cream and bagel
businesses, said Wednesday the shopkeepers need to hear what the
alternative plan is if the special-class officers will no longer be
there.
"That's the only form of protection we have had," Catalano
said. "What's the new plan then?"
Police Chief Mark Kinmon said his department is working to make
certain a police presence will continue on the boardwalk.
City Manager Terence Reidy said Wednesday the reason for eliminating
the special officers is not tied to the city's budget deficit but
that municipalities cannot by law employ special officers full-time
for the full year.
The special officers can work up to 48 hours a week as seasonal
employees, but not year-round, he said.
"We will keep them on until the end of the year," Reidy
said. "There's no need to just eject them. We want to give them time
to put their lives in order. . . . This (past) summer really speaks
to their performance level."
One of the officers who holds that Class II designation is Michael
Cassidy, who helped the city start its two-man mounted police unit a
year ago. Cassidy brought the horses into the city each day and has
worked closely with his partner, Officer Anthony Butler.
Reidy said he could not comment on whether the mounted police team
will be affected.
In your voice
Read reactions to this story
Newest first Oldest first
heybros wrote:
Kudos to the Class II Officers for a job well done in all areas of
the city not just the Beach Front. It is hoped that those that took
the local regular police test will have the opportunity to get hired
as fully certified Officers in the future.
10/16/2008 11:23:08 AM Kudos to the Class II Officers for a job well
done in all areas of the city not just the Beach Front. It is hoped
that those that took the local regular police test will have the
opportunity to get hired as fully certified Officers in the future.
heybros
Recommend New post Reply to this Post Report Abuse
localboomer wrote:
What a shame that city hall's inexcusable gaffe means that 11 great
officers will essentially lose their jobs in a recession,
particularly since the city did so much to tout their presence.
Last year, the city angered a lot of business owners by docking Tom
Gilmour, one of the hardest working & most effective people in city
hall, an outrageous 20-day's pay. Tom was trying to raise money for
city events & it apparently interferred with an elected official's
own attempts to extract cash from a city attorney.
The council should keep that same standard in mind when dealing with
the city manager over this much more serious mistake.
I hear that some officers are already staying home to use up their
leave & I can't blame them. With a recession & Christmas coming,
what will this do to their families?
As for negotiating with the developer to make up lost parking
revenue, weren't you supposed to do that BEFORE you announced you
were turning off the meters for the winter?
10/16/2008 9:09:36 AM What a shame that city hall's inexcusable
gaffe means that 11 great officers will essentially lose their jobs
in a recession, particularly since the city did so much to tout
their presence. <br /><br />Last year, the city angered a lot of
business owners by docking Tom Gilmour, one of the hardest working &
most effective people in city hall, an outrageous 20-day's pay. Tom
was trying to raise money for city events & it apparently
interferred with an elected official's own attempts to extract cash
from a city attorney.<br /><br />The council should keep that same
standard in mind when dealing with the city manager over this much
more serious mistake. <br /><br />I hear that some officers are
already staying home to use up their leave & I can't blame them.
With a recession & Christmas coming, what will this do to their
families?<br /><br />As for negotiating with the developer to make
up lost parking revenue, weren't you supposed to do that BEFORE you
announced you were turning off the meters for the winter?
localboomer
Recommend (2) New post Reply to this Post Report Abuse
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