MONROE - The Monroe City Council on Tuesday said a committee was wrong to revise the schedule for the removal of parking meters on the downtown Square a day earlier.
The Public Safety Committee on Monday directed the city's Public Works Department to remove the meters in phases, to coincide with construction work done during a streetscaping on the Square.
But on Tuesday, Alderman Mark Coplien, Ward 3, objected to the committee's actions.
"What I don't like is it being done at committee level," Coplien said.
A resolution passed Feb. 18 by the council called for removing parking meters on the Square. Coplien said aldermen understood the resolution implied meters would be "removed together" at the same time.
Coplien said he wouldn't question the committee's decision to remove the meters in phases rather than at the same time if there was a public safety issue necessitating it. But "it's got to come back to council," he said. "It cannot be done at committee level."
The council's resolution last month gave authorization "for the removal of the parking meters in the 1000 block of 16th and 17th Avenues and the 1600 blocks of 10th and 11th Streets."
It also resolved the removal would "take effect when actual work begins on the downtown streetscape project, on or about April 15, 2009, with all other parking meters to remain in effect until further action was taken."
Alderman Charles Koch, Public Safety chairman, said he had concerns with the motion made by the committee Monday.
"I questioned several people at the meeting and was assured it would go through committee," he said.
Koch said the committee will rescind the motion and continue discussing the parking issue at its next meeting.
City Council President Keith Ingwell said the committee's motion was "a moot issue as of now."
The Public Safety Committee on Monday directed the city's Public Works Department to remove the meters in phases, to coincide with construction work done during a streetscaping on the Square.
But on Tuesday, Alderman Mark Coplien, Ward 3, objected to the committee's actions.
"What I don't like is it being done at committee level," Coplien said.
A resolution passed Feb. 18 by the council called for removing parking meters on the Square. Coplien said aldermen understood the resolution implied meters would be "removed together" at the same time.
Coplien said he wouldn't question the committee's decision to remove the meters in phases rather than at the same time if there was a public safety issue necessitating it. But "it's got to come back to council," he said. "It cannot be done at committee level."
The council's resolution last month gave authorization "for the removal of the parking meters in the 1000 block of 16th and 17th Avenues and the 1600 blocks of 10th and 11th Streets."
It also resolved the removal would "take effect when actual work begins on the downtown streetscape project, on or about April 15, 2009, with all other parking meters to remain in effect until further action was taken."
Alderman Charles Koch, Public Safety chairman, said he had concerns with the motion made by the committee Monday.
"I questioned several people at the meeting and was assured it would go through committee," he said.
Koch said the committee will rescind the motion and continue discussing the parking issue at its next meeting.
City Council President Keith Ingwell said the committee's motion was "a moot issue as of now."