Downtown parking advisory board; unused and neglected
The downtown parking advisory board is one of many advisory boards in the city of Lawrence. Most of the boards meet regularly to discuss issues and present recommendations to city commissioners. The downtown parking advisory board meets on an as needed basis. City officials said the board has not been active for the past few years because it has not been needed.
Lawrence Mayor Mike Amyx said since the completion of the parking garage a number of years ago there have not been any major parking projects for the board to consider. “Until we have a project, there is not a whole lot for the board to do,” he said.
Most board members disagree. The board can discuss smaller downtown parking concerns. The members can also serve as good resources to the city. They are all active in the community and many of them work in the downtown area. They have knowledge and talents and out of respect for their willingness to serve the city should use them.
The downtown parking advisory board includes a city commissioner and 6 Lawrence residents. The commissioner is appointed to the board and the members volunteer to be on it. The current roster on the city webpage is out of date. Two of the 6 members have incorrect contact information listed. The other 4 members, who joined the board during 2003 and 2004, have never attended an advisory board meeting. Up until a few weeks ago, City Commissioner Mike Rundle was not aware that he was the commissioner assigned to this board. He thought he had been replaced over two years ago. Not only has the board been unused, it has also been neglected. As a result downtown parking concerns have been neglected.
Commissioner Rundle said “there is not any eminent project” the city is working on but “parking is a perennial problem.” The board could be used to discuss smaller concerns. Aimee Polson joined the board because she thought it would be beneficial. She said that there are “issues that haven’t been addresses that should have.” Among these issues she listed moped parking and line of sight concerns. Pat Kehde said, as a downtown proprietor, she becomes aware of many issues through customers and other business owners. Had the board been active over the past few years, these concerns could have been discussed. Polson said she “feels the city is missing out on a resource.” “This is a free service the city isn’t taking advantage of,” she said.
Other members agree. Executive Director of the Lawrence Public Library, Bruce Flanders is also a member of the board. He said “it’s unfortunate” that the board has not met together since he joined. “More than anything, I am somewhat disappointed,” he said. “I would have been pleased to be a part of the discussions and involved.”
Flanders joined the board because he “thought it would be useful.” With the library redevelopment project underway an active downtown parking advisory board would be a great benefit. “The library has a tremendous need for parking in its current location and as this project moves forward, parking demands will be extraordinary,” he said. He is hopeful that the advisory board will become active again and can help with these parking concerns.
Both Mayor Amyx and City Manager Dave Corliss agree that the inactivity of the downtown parking advisory board has not been a priority or a concern. But, they do think they will try to utilize the board as a part of the library redevelopment project. Until that time and after that project is completed, Corliss thinks the city should consider the actual need of this particular advisory board. “We don’t build parking garages ever year,” he said.
Large parking projects are important, but this isn’t a matter of just building parking garages. It is a matter of building a community. The downtown parking advisory board is made up of member of the Lawrence community who want to serve and work through parking concerns, even small ones. Kehde said, “I think it would be polite once people have volunteered to be on a board to at least have them meet once a year, face to face, with the city.”