Show Public to Settle Meter Question Council Orders Trial Suspension Wh Whether ther or not parking meters will be permanently removed from Moab streets will be decided decided decided ed by the voters at a special election to be held on March 2 1959 according to action taken by the Moab city council at a special meeting held in the city hall Wednesday night Meanwhile use of the meters will be discontinued on a trial basis until that time with meter heads being either covered or removed effective December 1 or not later than December 15 During the meter suspension parking wilt will be controlled with one hour time limits to be set at all aU areas now controlled by parking meters other than the area near the post office where a 15 minute time limit will be enforced The councils council's decision to place the meter question before all the people of Moab followed a long discussion during which Mayor K X E. E McDougald and members of the council reported on contacts contacts con con- various various' business men and I other residents of Moab had had I made with them during the day day i voicing their opinions and wishes wish wish- es Cs both for and against action taken by the council at the regular regular regular reg reg- ular Tuesday night meeting At which time the council had voted to discontinue use of the meters on a trial basis bails without determining determining determining ining the length of ot time of the thet t trial aI period or what would be bedone bedone bedone done afterward In calling the special meeting Mayor McDougald stated that the parking meter issue had become become become be be- come of a controversial nature to the point where the council should give further tion In publicly announcing the Wednesday Y night decision Mayor McDougald said Raid A recent survey conducted by the tho City of Moab regarding parking meters in Inthe the downtown business district resulted in a large majority In favor of ot controlled controlled controlled con con- trolled or restricted parking inthe in inthe inthe the downtown area The poll also revealed that a number of these same people were opposed to the present method used to restrict restrict re so- strict parking As a result of the above abovementioned men mentioned survey the Moab City Council concluded that a method of control other than the use of parking meters would result ina in ina a more acceptable manner of parking control to the M Moab ab citi citi- zens Therefore it was decided that the meters would be removed removed re se- moved on a trial period and a one hour time limit to be set at atall atall atall all areas now controlled by parkIng parkIng park park- Ing meters other than the area near the Post Office where a minute 15 time limit will be en en- forced It is the intention of the mayor and city council to satisfy sails satis fy all of the of Moab and nd they feel that the method as outlined above would satisfy a larger number of people than the method now in force In order that all all of the the citizens citizens citi zens zeus of Moab may have a voice k Ion on this subject of controlled parking parking parking park park- ing on their city streets an elec- elec I tion will be held on March 2 1959 to let the people determine what method they prefer I The TIle mayor and council ask for the operation to-operation of the citi zens of Moab during this trial period and election and feel that the method they are following will best be-best for all concerned Petitions both for and agi against the removal of the parking parking- meters meters me me- tess had been presented to the c council several council several weeks weeks' ago While the council generally indicated they felt the meters meters meters' were not serving satisfactorily and that it might be well to remove them they did not feel that the Petitions petitions peti peu- should be the basis for tor a definite decision Instead they authorized a parking parking meter stir stir- vey polling the business people where meters were located for forthe forthe forthe the purpose of providing the council with more information and to obtain an unbiased opinion ion on 61 f each person polled I Three of the six questions asked aski ask ask- i ed were for the purpose of ot obtaining obtaining ob ob- ob- ob taming data at the time the I meters were installed The Theother other II three questions and the results obtained asked whether it was felt that meters hurt his or their I business with 11 a answering yes and 31 n no whether It was felt meters should be removed with 14 answering yes and 24 no and whether It was felt Moab needed controlled parking with 40 answering yes and 4 no Several persons either for or against the removal of the meters attended the regular Tuesday night meeting While several took part In a n heated discussion on th the situation situa situa- tion William p. p Bill BUl Harding did most of the talking for those in favor or o of meter removal Mr Mx Harding Hartling maintained that the tho meters meters meters me me- were unnecessary sin since e the streets street were v vacant cant anyway that the meters were detrimental tal to business that they were I in iii keeping with the economy I of the community but were weN turn- turn 1 j ing Moab into a ghost town Others contending the meters should be removed on much the same basis as did Mr Mn Harding were Mr and Mrs William Mc- Mc Cormick Ed Drake as spokesman for businessmen opposing the meter removals argued that parking meters were good means of cont controlling con con- t trolling parking and that properly proper proper- ly enforced th they y tend to be self seU regulating whereas other othe methods methods methods meth meth- of control are quite difficult to execute do not stand up as aswell aswell aswell well In i court and require excessive ex ex- ex e power man without providing providing pro pro- viding any regular monies other than from fines Mr Drake Dake contended contended con con- tended that parking meters help I I business by providing places for tor customers to park and that removal re 10 moval of the meters would be a serious ba backward step in a progressive pro pro- community Before Defore voting on the matter the council attempting to anaise the survey polls both as to tabulated tabulated tabulated tab tab- totals to the questions and the individual answers In doing so It was noted note that In at least three areas where the use of parking meters was high h. h the tho businessmen hud had said bald the they favo o oed ed removal moval Also hat that several leveral of ot those opposing the tho removal Continued on en 1 Pu b I ic to r l 1 Continued frent frem Pave Page One Were persons who had offices sIn s sIn in buildings Under the theory that the feelings feel teet- ings of those whose businesses were In areas where the meters are ore used a great deal were more effected and that those In offices offices offices of of- Were somewhat less effected effect ed it was decided to weight the survey answers on that basis After Arter his analysis and the arguments arguments arguments ar ar- ar- ar by those attending the meeting the council voted In favor of discontinuing the meters on a trial basis and to the repeal I of the ordinance governing their use They also authorized the police pollee department to determine the Ifie regulations regulation f t for tor controlling traffic pointing out that Moab had never bever tri tried d any other form of controlled parking and that It was was their opinion n such action should be taken Disappointment over the coun coun- councils council's Tuesday night action was expressed by Mr Drake who said he felt the council had disregarded disregarded disregarded dis regarded the majority opinion I t 1 do not feel that a minorIty minorIty minority minor minor- ity group should b be able to sway the councils council's opinion he said sald Approving the council action Mr Harding said The people will patronize Moab b business more readily when they are free freeto freeto freeto to shop at their leisure and are not limited to a pennys penny's worth of parking time Ume t p DJ t the lac eJ ex expression pm from Drake or Mr Harding or r others Who had bad previously previously previously pre pre- expressed themselves regarding regarding re re- garding galling the new ne ney council could not b be obtained |