Aug 15, 2002 By Patty Shultz 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – City council is hoping that an effort to spare downtown visitors from bringing quarters for parking meters will spur business in the district. “We have to do something,” Councilwoman Judy Keller said Tuesday in making a motion to temporarily eliminate the 25-cent hourly parking fee.

With businesses shuttering or moving to other locations, Keller said she hopes the action will encourage others to fill the empty storefronts.

The cost-free six-month trial was prompted by an earlier meeting with merchants and professionals, who requested that council eliminate paid parking in the city’s lots, said Keller. “For over a year, people have been talking to me about doing something, and this is one option,” she said.

While garnering support from Councilman John Whalen and Mayor Judy Reed, Councilman Bruce Jaynes questioned the long-term effect of losing the monthly parking meter income, which had been earmarked for maintenance. Councilwoman Chris Wagner was absent from the meeting.

“You have a nice account balance right now, but what about a couple of years down the road?” he said.

According to records, the city receives about $700 per month through meter collections, leases, fines and discounted monthly passes retained by employees of businesses without parking areas.

Keller responded that in addition to leases held by several merchants, which will remain intact, eight business owners have opted to contribute an unspecified amount of money to defray the maintenance and insurance costs: Double Dragon Chinese Restaurant, CJ’s Floral and Crafts, Connellsville Printing Co., Metzger’s Wall Paper and Paint, Maryann’s Consignment Shop, PNC Bank, Grant Myers/State Farm Insurance and attorney Carolyn W. Maricondi have agreed to assist the city.

“I still have several more business owners to talk to, and I hope they, too, will be willing to help,” she said.

In the interim, the city recreation department will trim weeds and keep the lots free of litter and debris.

In the winter, Keller said, if the street department is incapable of adding the lots to its schedule, the city could seek an outside contractor to remove any accumulated snow.

“If I didn’t think we could afford to do this, I wouldn’t have made the motion,” said Keller. “I believe this is going to work, and if it doesn’t, we can reverse the decision and go back to the way it was.”

The free parking will begin Monday.

In a related action, council eliminated the full-time parking lot attendant position. Tom Miller, who served as attendant, will be used on an as-needed basis.