Meter fees ‘not a money grab,’ says Dwyer

Monroe village residents shared their concerns about parking availability and questioned the village’s intentions behind collecting fines for violators, during the November 19 village board meeting.

One resident asked the board why the tentative budget includes $15,000 for street parking meter fees when the prior year only budgeted $5,000 for these fees. She referenced prior budgets, noting that these revenues were under $4,000 in 2023 and around $2,300 in 2022. She speculated that the village may be more concerned about increasing revenue than addressing parking availability.

Village Mayor Neil Dwyer objected to the claim that the budgeted increase in meter fees was intended to drive up revenues for the village.

“Believe me when I say to you, it is so not a money grab,” said Dwyer. He pointed to prior 2020 revenue where meter fees could range from $15,000 to $20,000. He informed the resident that the reason for such a large decline in recent years is due to meters being removed and the downtown going through a large renovation, resulting in less revenue being collected.

The availability of free parking near the library was another issue brought before the board. Residents questioned why library users, who are only using its services for a short time, are being charged for parking in the spaces in front of the building. They noted that as a public service, residents should have access to free parking to enjoy the benefits of their local library.

Dwyer responded that the village is currently renovating 47 free spaces on Smithfield (between the library and movie theater), extending the sidewalk and adding lighting to improve accessibility to the library and other businesses downtown.

One resident raised the issue of an automotive business parking cars along Prospect Street. He shared that he had reached out to the police who informed him they couldn’t take any action because there was no ordinance against parking in that area. He explained that the street is a dead end and when multiple cars are parked there, it creates visibility challenges for drivers. He added that the automotive shop often blocks his driveway and uses it to make U-turns.

Dwyer acknowledged the resident’s concerns and said that he has reached out to the business.

Property maintenance

During the meeting, the board scheduled a public hearing for December 3 for the purpose of reviewing an introductory local law amending the village’s property maintenance law. Trustee John Karl asked the board to consider lowering the maximum grass height from 10 inches to eight inches, claiming that by the time a violation is addressed, the grass may be well over 10 inches. Trustee Debbie Behringer said she felt the code should remain at 10 inches and that the village had more pressing matters to handle.

Village attorney Alyse Terhune reminded the board of their ability to make that minor modification to the code after the public hearing and suggested they consult the building department for their input. She also pointed to the code’s provisions which require offenders to go to court after the third violation received in 12 months and imposes a heftier fine than in the past.