MONROE - Mayor-elect Louis Armstrong is wasting no time in pushing the Monroe Common Council to make a final decision on the controversial downtown municipal parking ramp Tuesday - the same night he is sworn into office.
Tuesday's agenda includes an action item that asks council representatives to decide whether to "raze the current parking ramp and replace with a surface lot." The lot would hold 72 parking stalls, which according to a parking study conducted over summer months by Rich & Associates in November, will provide sufficient parking for the short-term future downtown.
Armstrong, who has spoken in favor of replacing the ramp with a new structure at the Spring Square parking lot one block south of the Courthouse Square, added the question of whether to develop a new municipal ramp in 2017.
If the answer is yes from a majority, the follow-up requests members pick a location. Options include the current ramp location; Spring Square; City Hall; or at the parking lot along 9th Street and 18th Avenue known as the Armory lot.
"I created a series of questions to get everyone to finalize a decision," Armstrong said. "We've determined (the ramp) is a hazard, now we need to make it a yes to decide to knock it down."
Armstrong said he has spoken to Director of Public Works Alan Gerber and was told it is feasible to demolish the ramp this summer.
"I would push for demolition before Cheese Days," Armstrong said. "It's just a demolition, there's plenty of time to do that. I would have that done immediately."
Cheese Days is held every two years in September. This year's event is Sept. 16-18.
Previous estimates to demolish the ramp have been about $600,000.
The council has also scheduled a special meeting for tonight to attend to unfinished business.
City Clerk Carol Stamm said the council will discuss motions made at its last meeting regarding the parking ramp's future. The motion made on April 6 by Alderman Charles Koch has been included; it requests that an estimate be put forward to build a two-level ramp on the Armory lot and to demolish the current parking ramp.
The council also has to vote on whether to close the current parking ramp.
All motions were interrupted during the last council meeting when aldermen adjouned after discussions became what Armstrong referred to as "a bunch of bouncy balls let loose in an empty room."
Tuesday's agenda includes an action item that asks council representatives to decide whether to "raze the current parking ramp and replace with a surface lot." The lot would hold 72 parking stalls, which according to a parking study conducted over summer months by Rich & Associates in November, will provide sufficient parking for the short-term future downtown.
Armstrong, who has spoken in favor of replacing the ramp with a new structure at the Spring Square parking lot one block south of the Courthouse Square, added the question of whether to develop a new municipal ramp in 2017.
If the answer is yes from a majority, the follow-up requests members pick a location. Options include the current ramp location; Spring Square; City Hall; or at the parking lot along 9th Street and 18th Avenue known as the Armory lot.
"I created a series of questions to get everyone to finalize a decision," Armstrong said. "We've determined (the ramp) is a hazard, now we need to make it a yes to decide to knock it down."
Armstrong said he has spoken to Director of Public Works Alan Gerber and was told it is feasible to demolish the ramp this summer.
"I would push for demolition before Cheese Days," Armstrong said. "It's just a demolition, there's plenty of time to do that. I would have that done immediately."
Cheese Days is held every two years in September. This year's event is Sept. 16-18.
Previous estimates to demolish the ramp have been about $600,000.
The council has also scheduled a special meeting for tonight to attend to unfinished business.
City Clerk Carol Stamm said the council will discuss motions made at its last meeting regarding the parking ramp's future. The motion made on April 6 by Alderman Charles Koch has been included; it requests that an estimate be put forward to build a two-level ramp on the Armory lot and to demolish the current parking ramp.
The council also has to vote on whether to close the current parking ramp.
All motions were interrupted during the last council meeting when aldermen adjouned after discussions became what Armstrong referred to as "a bunch of bouncy balls let loose in an empty room."