Meters would have to be fed for two additional hours on weekdays under the plan.
With the clock running down on his decree of free Saturday parking downtown, Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna is proposing to add two additional hours of meter enforcement from Monday to Friday.
The move, which comes even as Menna is also urging retailers to keep their doors open later, is prompted by a sharp drop in parking revenue, he tells redbankgreen.
“We’ve eliminated revenues on Saturday and Sunday, and there’s a shortfall,” Menna says. “We have to equalize it by extending hours into the evening.”
The idea, like many proposed tinkerings with parking rates here, is likely to engender heated debate as a public hearing on the matter scheduled for next Monday approaches. Many downtown merchants blame $38 overtime parking fines for driving away customers.
A proposed ordinance introduced last week says the 9a-to-8p enforcement, amended from the current 9a-to-6p regime, would be in effect in at all metered spots Monday through Saturday. But Menna tells us he intends to maintain free Saturday parking, which he unveiled last January during an economic summit held to brainstorm ideas for jump-starting a stalled local economy.
“At this point, there no plan” to reinstate Saturday collections, he says.
But Nancy Adams, executive director of Red Bank RiverCenter, the quasi-governmental agency charged with promoting downtown business interests, said late last Wednesday that she had been informed free that free Saturdays would end as scheduled on December 31.
If true, “that’s not good news,” she said. “We’re trying to work with the borough, and we were hoping Saturday would remain free.”
Menna said the decline in meter collections is “in the tens of thousands” of dollars from last year.
But how much of that is the result of giving away parking on Saturdays, and how much is attributable to general economic conditions, could not be immediately determined last week. Borough CFO Frank Mason tells redbankgreen that meters are emptied once a week, generating $8,000 to $10,000 in revenue.
Borough officials, in crafting the current-year budget, anticipated that parking fees would fall below $830,000 this year, from $896,000 last year.
Meanwhile, one merchant is said to be floating the idea of doubling meter rates in order to force store, restaurant and office workers into nearby lots, thereby freeing up spaces for shoppers, who he believes won’t mind paying extra for the convenience.
A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for the next council meeting on December 7 at 6:30p.
Here’s the ordinance with the proposed changes: 2009-53ordinance
This whole myopically greedy parking meter crusade has seriously damaged RB’s reputation & downtown appeal – are the local power-brokers honestly so obtuse so as not to realize this reality?
Depending on parking meters as a revenue source is not only really bad policy, it is a betrayal of those who reluctantly supported the meters in the first place.
Parking is limited in Red Bank. During busy economic times parking can be scarce. The purpose of the meters is to keep daytime retail traffic turning over.
During slow times such as these parking is not scarce. Meter prices should be reduced or eliminated accordingly.
If there is a problem with retailers themselves hogging the spaces this should be addressed by fighting meter-feeding.
This change in enforcement requires a shift in the methods used by the parking police. It might be the case that the new methods require more effort by fewer officers.
Yes Pat…the answer is MORE fees and the added enforcement that will follow. Way to drive people to the malls!!!
How about we fire the meter maids…that should free up close to a 100k
Are they serious? The Dowentown finally brought in a recognized Chain and really is doning a great job making the downtown have more appeal and this is the way to keep the ball rolling? COME ON at the same time He is asking for this he is begging store owners to stay open later?? FOR what to ticket customers longer???
ARE YOU SERIOUS? ASBURY takes the meters down after the Summer completely.
Generate money How about stop spending money on stupid crap or over priced crap like the Red bank web page3 or the maintance guy in the downtown I HAVE YET TO see? I can go on and on but I’ll start to sound like the loons on some of the other threads!
A disaster: for those of us that enjoy driving in after 6 and staying a few hours to eat and shop in Red Bank, this changes that plan.
Stay in Fair Haven! Some new places to eat..Try Cassie’s new Friday night dining experience…FAntastic!
Let’s not lose sight of the big picture, folks: We’re Building an Inclusive Community!™
Fh_diner - “Disaster” is a bit of an exaggeration. If you arrive after 6pm you could always feed the meter in one shot so that it would get you past 8pm. I would call this more so of an “inconvenience.” Will ye no come back again?
By the way Fh_diner, Fair Haven has some great eateries. But I guess that is like telling the Pope that the Apostolic Palace has lots of bathrooms.
Bayshore Charlie’s is great for no frills, down and dirty, well priced, fresh seafood. Don’t let the Florida blue-hair dining room set you in the wrong direction.
Next door at La Fandy might be a bit on the expensive side and the portions are small, but the food is really good. And it is BYOB. The will look at you funny if you bring a box of wine.
When I walked into The Raven & the Peach I thought that I should have been in a Don Johnson Miami vice suite. And I had to speak to a loan officer the next day. But the food was killer. The service was the best.
One of the waiters at Nauvoo is actually so annoying that I have actually started to like him. The food is yummy. The do a great NY Strip.
And the parking is free at all of them.
you’re right. “disaster” was hyperbole. and I agree, the “annoying” waiter is lovable and fun. And he does know the menu. Steak is excellent. turkey burger the best. Don’t forget: people watching and decent (not great) pizza–but excellent pasta fagiole at Umbertos, byob dinner night at Tavolo Pronto, and packaged pies at Krauzsers.
Sigh. And yes, I’ll probably plug my quarters into Red Bank’s meters. still better to shop there then to hit the malls at this time of year.
Just unbelievable, when will Red Bank realize it is a small village supported by outside visiters. What a welcome $38.00 please we have to pay for a part time borough administrator( can any one tell me what Stanley does ), 300 fire marshalls, 200 code inforcement officers and the list goes on and on.
Do I dare ask where the $890,000 will come from if they do away with the meters? I was once in a city (not in N.J.) that actually put notes on your windshield that read ” Welcme to —— we have extended your expired meter time for 20 minutes. We thank you and hope you enjoyed your Shopping.
You may think its crazy. But I think its worth a shot.
Maybe the drop in revenue is because the entire month of october the officers never left the office they were told not to enforce it was election time same with that annoying code enforcement officer who patrols garbage bags wheres he been he was told to take the month of december off and didnt write a ticket the whole month of october because they didnt want to piss off the residents prior to the election and this right before they pass the new salary ordinance for all department heads this should cover Gary Watsons and that overpaid Stanley Sickels salary for the next year what a waste if you only new all the waste I should have a sit down with john ward and the asbury park press they want you too beleive they are saving money the waste at borough hall is unbeleiveable
I have seen the parking naz*s’s in action. They are only there to issue tickets. They are not interested in collecting the change. I can understand enforcement when all the spaces are taken but when there are many open spaces, they still choose to ticket. I agree with one of the posters who said why don’t they eliminate the whole department and save all the salaries, vehicles, insurance,cost of meters, fuel used by that department. Another poster said the town should spend less but that concept does not seem to penetrate the skulls of Democrats. They are hurting everyone with their tactics. Who wants to be harrased when trying to support the town and their businesses. You can go to the Grove, Mall or other towns and not be charged a fee. If Red Bank wants to collect money, they should build a convenient parking garage and maybe even offer valet service to generate funds. I wonder where all the parking fund money is to build the non-existant parking garage. And for the poster who brought up Stanley again; haven’t you heard that he saves the town $10,000 a year by doing the jobs of 3 people all within an amazing 40 hour, 4 day work week. He looks like he might eat for 3 as well.
I made the mistake recently of parking in one of the perpetually empty “Permit only” spots and got fined $38 bucks.
I just will go out of town to shop, end of story.. I spend thousands of dollars a year in this town. No more,
I’ll just patronize the stores in neighboring towns. I’ve had enough…
RB leadership never ceases to amaze me. Very, very dumb effort here.
Now is the time, we need a parking deck!
As long as Red Bank has parking meters.
We might as well enforce them.
I agree with Charles and believe that parking meters are needed and the revenue generated is a key part of the budget and without it, other areas would be lacking.
The biggest challenge I have is why are we now worried about lost revenue from cutting the meters on the weekends. Making up for the shortfall should have been part of the initial plan, don’t you think?
Ken,
CFO’s are supposed to be ethical…
Pleasant Grove, Utah, is a far cry from
Red Bank, NJ.
Kim, I don’t know what post you are reading, but Charles never says anything about parking meters being essential…
Hmm… notice that your name links to the same site as Ken’s….
Red Bank Green, check it for yourself. Follow Ken’s link and check the “about us” section of the site……
Posing as a community resident, in a town half a continent from where you live, in order to promote your business, is a sleazy thing to do. I’m sure the Church that you are such an active part of, would agree……
Bill-at least Kim identified herself! the rest of us aren’t as straightforward, me included.
you know, you won’t have to pay the $38 ticket if you put a few quarters in the meter…is it really that hard?
Metered parking isn’t unusual in a downtown dining and retail district. I’m surprised it’s so controversial.
I think relying on tickets/meters for town income is a mistake.
Downtown employees should have their own permit parking and should not be allowed to park on the street during enforced hours. Rates and fines should be structured to maintain 85% occupancy. Too-low rates and fines encourage camping out in spaces and reduced turnover; too-high rates and fines result in lower occupancy and parking revenue (because the shoppers go somewhere else to shop)
Westide,
I, for one, put change in the meter, I always do.
I parked in a permit parking spot. A bonehead move? Yes. Did I feed the Meter? Yes.
My biggest issue is that the parking lot I was in was largely empty. The Permit spots were all empty. I made the mistake of parking in one. I can understand if the lot was full, then at least it could have been presumed, that I didn’t care and just wanted to park. But to receive a summons for parking in one of a multitude of empty spots, while feeding the meter, is a little hard for me to swallow.
Go back to one of the first posts in this thread, by Clarence. He hits it right on the head. Parking meters are installed, in order to keep traffic moving, so that shoppers have a better chance at finding a place to park and retailers can benefit from the turnover. That is why the parking meters are limited to 2 hours !!
Using meters for income/budget purposes is what is controversial.
In the case of Red Bank, the parking meters are more of a hindrance than a help. People stay away from Red Bank, because of the meters.
Why should someone from Eatontown or Shrewsbury or Middletown,deal with the parking meters at Red Bank, when there is plenty of shopping with free parking in their own towns?
There is so many vacant parking spaces in Red Bank, enforcement is just going to drive away public support.
What is really funny is that the Parking Meters were Neil Burnip (remember him) Stanley and Mr Murphy’s, idea to suport the parking garage. When the parkign Garage was killed, they should have been removed, but once goverment gets money they will not let go.
Red Bank needs to cut the Buildign Dept by 30%, the public works by 50% and the police force by 10%.
Our payroll for a city of just 11,000 is a waiste of money.
I love everyone wanting the parking garage. Why, their is more than ample parking in Red Bank. I walked the lots for 3 yrs counting the empty spaces. There were less occupied spaces than vacant.
No one wants parking meters, yet as noted here the meter were put in to suppliment the garage Mr Murphy and Burnip were pushing. The 330 space garage was relly only adding 135 spaces, not the full 330 spaces.
All this for 33,000 per space. THis while the PRC garage on Front street sits vacant.
‘SOG’ - I agree about the lack of enforcement right before the elections, it was making me sick to see the 3rd reich parking patrol just hanging out at borough hall all month.
Regarding the salary ordinance, which one are you talking about? If we’re talking about giving Stanley (a.k.a the real Pension Man) more money, I’ll start a revolt.
I’m glad we are on one of my favorite subjects . . . again! The genie is out of the bottle and will never go back in. We will never be able to get rid of the meters now that they are part of our yearly budgeted town revenue. So lets make the best of it without shooing people away. On more that one of my posts in the past I proposed free parking all day until 6:00pm. Enforce feeding the meters from 6:00pm until bar closing. Might even be a good idea to jack up the per hour rate while we’re at it. Those staying away from RB during the day because of the meters and their overtime ($38) cost might just think that’s a great idea and start to come back to shop. If you are worried about Broad St. being taken over by store employees then enforce the Broad St. meters during the day also . . . along with charging $1 an hour to, as someone said “keep turning the space over” so other people can have a chance to get a ticket too. If memory serves me, that was the reason for the meters being put on Broad St. — turnover not revenue. Anyway, after 6:00pm the town literally fills up . . . Count Basie, St. James, RBC, movies, infinite number of bars, infinite number of restaurants and Oh Yeah, a FEW stores that stay open. If you have to pay a premium to park on Broad you might just think of walking a block from the always empty spaces in the “back lots” instead.
And by the way, how come the merchants during the day have to have their customers pay for parking all day and the “merchants” (bars and restaurants)customers at night don’t. Seems like a little economic discrimination to me. If anyone thinks that the 20/30 yr. old bar crowd will stay away because of parking meter issues - think again. To them its just the cost of doing business. A little walk in the fresh air to feed the meter would probably do wonders for their state of sobriety anyway.
And by the way, the best place for a parking garage would have been exactly where RBC is putting a building in their parking lot. They could have raised that sucker up at least one story so their personel could still park underneath instead of where they will park now, which will be just about anywhere downtown they can find a space and screw things up even more. I did see they made a gigantic new parking lot on the corner by the school to make up for all the parking spots their new building is taking away . . . I think it about 8 spaces. Funny, I thought the building was bigger than that.
Engraver,
I agree with just about everything you’ve said..
Does anyone know if the parking authority employees who give out tickets even work on Fridays or after 6:00pm?
Bill,
I’m not sure which issue to address first….
First, are you saying that people outside of your community are not alolowed to make comments on the parking meter issue?
Second, both Kim and I came across this article and wanted to put our opinions in. If you are uncomfortable with that, you may not want to let people comment, regardless of where they are from.
Third, the comment tool asks for a name, email address, and website. Please explain why filling in those boxes would be unethical or have anything to do with one’s standing in one’s church. Again, if you don’t want me or anyone else to put a website address, then you may not want to ask for it.
I have no desire to debate these issues with you, but found your comments towards both me and Kim a bit uncalled for. We would be happy to never read or post comments to this site again if everyone here is uncomfortable with it.
Does anyone else have an opinion on the matter?
Bill,
In addition, I do not recall ever claiming to be a citizen of your community. We deal with some of the same parking meter issues. If we have broken some rules about only citizens of your community being able to post to this site, then we sincerely apologize.
If we have not broken any such rules, then I am very uncomfortable with the name calling and negative inferences directed at us.
Estimado Sr. Ken y la Sra. Waldron,
No nos gusta que los extranjeros que nos dice cómo vivir nuestras vidas. El problema de estacionamiento sólo debes tener es cuando los cineastas independientes muestran hasta el premier sus películas caseras. Somos la sede de la gran directora de cine Sr. Kevin Smith y no necesitamos ningún festivales de cine apegarse a conocer al mundo lo grande que es aquí, en la costa de Jersey. Hacemos lo que Hollywood tiene (Danny DeVito, Jack Nicholson, Joe Pesci, y la lista sigue y sigue mi amigo). ¿Por qué no subir las montañas studip tuyo y de esquí con sus múltiples esposas. ¿Es usted señala a nuestra pequeña ciudad, porque de todos los bares de moda que sus asnos Mormón poco no puede encontrar en su estado poco mierda. Se ríen de México en lo estúpido que son los que realmente introduzca su dirección web y el nombre real para publicar en este sitio. Eres un tonto y ya no se permite a publicar en este sitio. Good Night, and Good Riddence.
Ken, speaking for myself I appreciate outside point of views. You have to understand that in NJ we have an exclusive archaic British rule based overlord type of government system (freeholders etc) where each county is governed by power crony elitists fully supported by politically connected pro-development law firms in power in each townships. The town leaders (and their law firms) all participate with each other as a behind the scenes monopoly of “lets wash each other’s hands” for a united front to advance their self serving agendas. Publicly they discourage any town outsiders by propaganda sound bites such as “yur not frum here so whats it to ya” , and belittle those who dissent with anti-civil rights type of slogans such as’ if you dont like it here move”. For they all know too well (as the British did) that if the citizens felt ; United we stand, divided we fall, their monopoly that they call “government” would fall.
Ed Ucacion,
If you think a little spanish will scare me off, then you have another thing coming. I do not even know how to respond to you other than to say that what you have said speaks for itself. Carry on!
Tomatosauce,
Thanks for the explanation. Eloquent and self-aware - very well done! All the best to you!
Ken,
No, you have not broken any rules, and I do not recall calling you any names,
However, why the heck would someone from Utah, be posting on a site for a community in NJ?
Do you really expect anyone to believe that you care about parking issues in Red Bank NJ?
You can play your word games, but let the truth be known. You are trying to insinuate yourself in other peoples business, in order to sell your business.
Also, don’t try to play it off as if you have the “Right” to post on this, or any other blog…
If the moderator of this site wished to do so, your comments could be blocked at any time.
BLOGGING IS NOT A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT !!
It is a privilege, granted by the administrator of the site you wish to post on.
I figured you to be smarter than that. Guess you aren’t such a great executive after all….
RBG, maybe you should block me from posting on your site, because you obviously don’t have the backbone to block folks that have no vested interest in our community; other than to try and make some quick cash….
Sr. Ken,
Yo y mis amigos mexicanos a cabo puede paisaje, a cocinar, a lavar los platos, y fuera de carpintería usted. Estamos difícil. Pasamos horas fuera del Wawa espera de ser recogidos para su trabajo diario. Nos pack de 10 personas en un apartamento de 2 dormitorios. Bebemos cerveza mexicana. ¿Crees que son tan difíciles para muchos kilómetros de aquí, pero te encontraremos y patear el culo muy blanco todo el camino hasta la montaña y robar a sus esposas.
Senor Ken,
I just posted my displeasure with you on your blog. I noticed that after submitting, I receive a message that stated, my post was awaiting approval by your moderator… Hmmmmm..
Guess the rights that apply to you don’t apply to others…
Anarchy is the cornerstone of the American spirit and growth in the rights of citizens. Something you may not understand Bill if your drinking too much koolaid (among other things), or if your a hack, and no i’m not Ucacion, but you can imagine me as he if it pleases you.
H1N1 virus, not pneumonic plague, has caused so much illness in Ukraine. Yet more strains of influenza which have combined, a strong indication that we are dealing with a laboratory developed bio-weapon.
You flatter me Bill. Your correct about the right to call a bu$$ artist what he is… attorneys in government.
Case in point Ken..welcome to RBG !
Sr. Bill,
No me llames a un mexicano racista o me veré obligado a cortar usted. Cuando la gente falta de respeto a mi pueblo que está bien, pero cuando el zapato está en el otro pie no se siente tan bien lo hace. Usted robó nuestra tierra y estamos tomando de nuevo. Y, por cierto, nos encantan los parquímetros que conducen a la gente blanca de distancia, en sus autos de lujo. Conducimos motos y no necesitan ningún plazas de aparcamiento apestoso. ¡Viva México. Ah, y por la forma en que no estoy salsa de tomate. Soy Ed Ucacion!
Oh, and Vegan,
You just blew any chance you ever had at credibility….
where is Mr. Sluggo when you need him?
Sr. Bill,
Nos reuniremos en el Wawa mañana a las 10 pm a resolver esta situación. Nadie me llama racista y sale con la suya. Yo seré el uno con la bicicleta azul en el frente. ¿Quién crees que eres para decidir qué es correcto y qué no lo es. Usted debe ser uno de esos tipos tenso alemán que nos diga cómo vivir. Ha llegado me enojó tanto que he olvidado el Sr. Ken meta en nuestro negocio. Lo hice ver a su sitio web y la Sra. Waldron está muy caliente. Después de terminar con ustedes, voy a montar mi bicicleta a Utah y robarle el Sr. Ken. Probablemente tenga un par de otras mujeres por lo que no debe extrañar demasiado
Ken,
I don’t agree with Bill’s tone, but I agree with the substance of his post.
Your post strongly implied you were a member of our community by using “we.” Kim’s post implied that she was somehow affected by the Red Bank municipal budget.
I would have no problem with you posting on this site, if your post had said, “Out here in Utah, we have the same problem.” Even better, “Here in Pleasant Grove, we’ve handled the parking issue this way….”
The two nearly simultaneous short posts with links back to unrelated sites appears to be an effort to improve your Google PageRank. If that is the case, I encourage you to look into the “nofollow” attribute, which this site uses. Commenters who provide URLs on this site do not help their PageRank.
If you were not trying to increase your PageRank, I apologize for jumping to conclusions. Please tell us about parking meters in Pleasant Grove.
Ken,
I forgot to ask: the Pleasant Grove municipal budget (http://www.plgrove.org/pdf/budget09.pdf)doesn’t mention parking revenue. How is parking meter revenue classified? How many meters are there in town?
I made an error. RBC has carved out 12 new spaces at the corner not 8 as listed in my previous post. This I am sure will put them over the top regarding the spaces lost to the new building.
Dan,
You are correct, my tone was a bit harsh, but I am glad that you read exactly what I read when viewing those posts.
I would not mind if Ken or anyone else, said: “hey I have some experience in this, maybe I can help, here is my business website”
My perception was that the postings appeared to be less than honest/straightforward in their intentions…
Google Maps is a wonderful thing. I visited Pleasant Grove and took the “Street View” through town. Past the municipal building, up Main street. Plenty of parking… Free Parking at that !
Kim no parking officer works later than 5:00pm and pension man i believe that the new salary ordinace will reflect a 4% pay increase to all department heads on JAN 1 2010 something all redbank tax payers can be proud of