April 7, 2015
Parking signs stir heated discussion in meeting
A decision by Cortland County Legislature Chairperson Susan Briggs to reserve six parking spots Tuesday morning for legislators at the County Office Building parking lot stirred heated debate among fellow legislators who objected to getting preferential treatment.
The Buildings and Grounds Committee discussed the move and Legislator Charlie Sudbrink (R-Cincinnatus, Freetown, Taylor and Willet) was forceful in his objection to the move by Briggs (R-Cortlandville).
Six signs were put up Tuesday morning in the County Office Building lot which said “Reserved Legislature Parking,” effective that morning. The spots are expected to be used by legislators during legislative committee days and times.
Lt. David Guerrera of the city police department said this morning the county would have to pass a local law before any law enforcement agency could take any action, such as writing a ticket or towing a vehicle.
Guerrera said the county would have to pass a local law to define who can park in a particular place and when that is allowed.
He added the county owns the parking lot and it is not affected by city codes.
Sudbrink faulted the parking space reservation, pointing to the problem of overcrowding that already exists in the parking lot. He said those spots should be available for everyone: employees and senior citizens attending the senior center for example.
“We shouldn’t be above them,” Sudbrink said.
Sudbrink accused Briggs of running a “dictatorship” because Briggs did not bring the decision to committee for approval before putting up the signs.
Briggs diagreed, saying as Legislature chairperson it was her decision to make and she did not have to bring the idea to committee. She said during discussions with legislators in past committee meetings, legislators agreed with her desire to make separate legislator spots to make it easier for them to get to meetings.
“This was something everyone was on board with,” Briggs said. “We’re just trying to get a handle on this. We’re trying to correct the problem.”
Sudbrink said after the meeting that if Briggs had brought the resolution to committee, he would have voted “no,” saying it is unfair to have those designated spots.
Another designated spot aside from the six includes a separate one for Briggs in the parking lot off Elm Street, according to Brian Parker, supervisor of the maintenance department.
Briggs said this morning the parking lot is reserved for county vehicles only and is not open for public parking.
Briggs said she was offended by Sudbrink’s characterization of the way she runs the county.
“Naturally I was shocked when he accused me of the thing I think I’m least,” Briggs said in her office.
County Attorney Karen Howe has said in previous interviews with the Cortland Standard the county owns the parking lot and can designate spaces if desired.
Calls made to Howe were not returned as of press time this morning to discuss how the reserved spots would be enforced.
Parker said Tuesday afternoon he is not sure how the parking signs would be enforced and he added no tags would be given to legislators to differentiate their cars from those of the public.
Officials have been grappling with problems of overcrowding and maintenance at county parking lots for years.
The County Legislature approved a parking lot renovation during legislative session Feb. 26 that will cost almost $700,000 to renovate six county lots. Suit-Kote Corp., a Cortlandville-based asphalt company, will pave the lots at the County Courthouse and Sheriff’s Department, lots on Greenbush Street and Central Avenue and Elm Street as well as the Planning Department at 37 Church St. and the County Office Building at 60 Central Ave.
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