Coleman: Public Input Wasn't Solicited Fully

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman asked a city official Friday to take a second look at recent parking-meter policy after public input wasn't solicited fully.

NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.

Columbus' parking meter rates jumped about 50 percent Monday, Nov. 30.

Two-hour parking went from $1 to $1.50 in the cheapest zone and from $3 to $4.50 in the highest-price zone Downtown.

Columbus city council took a closer look at the process behind raising the rates after business owners argued it was flawed at Monday night's city council meeting.

Many business owners are angry about the rate increase because they said it will kill business. They argued the rate increase took them by surprise and that Mark Kelsey, the director of public service, kept them in the dark.

"The city keeps telling us this is done and it can't be undone. But to me what can be done can be undone. We're looking for them to halt the implementation. In other words, don't change the meters until the research is done," said Jeff Mathes, the owner of two downtown restaurants, Due Amici and Barrios.

Kelsey, who has the authority to raise rates without city council approval, disagreed.

"We presented it to the media. We gave plenty of public notice, we believe," Kelsey said.

Kelsey said business owners had the opportunity to speak out about the increase at meetings.

But when Columbus City Council President Michael Mentel questioned whether the process were open, Kelsey told him the meetings were done by invitation and not by public notice.

Coleman sent an internal memo to Kelsey Friday, asking him to gather process stakeholders, research ideas and, where possible, integrate the ideas into a simpler, comprehensive meter policy that benefits the city's businesses, entertainment districts and Downtown.

Coleman said the increase took effect without a process of full public input.

He acknowledged Kelsey did more to inform the public than what was legally necessary but "the city didn't involve the public as much as it should have."

Coleman said he, too, takes responsibility for the oversight and offered his apologies.

Coleman asked Kelsey to invite those who have expressed concerns to serve on a parking meter advisory team to study the city's overall parking meter policy.

During Monday's city council meeting, Kelsey said an advisory committee would conduct an impact study going forward. It would be comprised of business owners and city employees. He said if the study were to determine the meter rates hurt businesses, the rates would be adjusted.

"Bottom line, we should be open and listen to concerns and be willing to change if, in fact, there is a better way," Coleman wrote in the memo.

But Mathes argues the mayor's solution doesn't resolve the problem for business owners.

"The research should have been done before they made the policy, not the policy before the research. The mayor's policies are generally very transparent and he includes the community. So this was way outside of what we usually see from him. This was a surprise and kind of a slap in the face," Mathes said.

Councilwoman Charleta Tavares expressed her disappointment in the rate-increase process during the Monday meeting.

"I believe we should have had a public hearing on this. If we had done the serious outreach, if we had the impact study prior to the increase, everyone would have been served well," Tavares said.

The money raised from the meter rate increase will go towards a backup fund for the downtown convention hotel. Mathes says he's in favor of the hotel, he just doesn't think the city is using the right mechanism for funding.

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