SCOTT CITY GROUP URGES NO MORE PARKING

SCOTT CITY -- Residents of the 400 and 500 blocks of Maple Street asked the Scott City Council Monday not to further restrict parking on their street.

The group of about 25 people assembled to speak against a citizens petition, signed by 73 people, asking that parking be prohibited on either side of the street. The petition was presented at the last council meeting.

Maple Street narrows in the 400 and 500 blocks, making two-way traffic difficult at times. Difficult, but not impossible, residents said Monday.

"We want to be made aware of what's going on," said Jerry McCloud of the 400 block of Maple Street. "We want the parking left as it is; to put this thing to rest once and for all."

McCloud told the council that this was about the fourth time he's come before them. Each time, he said, he has been forced to defend the parking situation on his street.

"I think this is something important enough to fight for," he said. "We want these people who signed this petition to respect our needs as homeowners and property owners."

McCloud explained to the council that he and his wife both work and have cars they keep in the driveway. Their live-at-home son also has a car he keeps in a neighbor's driveway.

"I don't want to tell my parents when they come to visit from Cahokia, Ill., that they have to park down the street and carry their luggage a few blocks to my home," he said. "I want to be able to have people over after church and have a place where they can park."

Tom Kelsey, who lives across the street from McCloud, said he too has a unique parking situation.

"We have that drainage ditch in our back yard, which is subject to flash flooding," Kelsey said. "When that happens, we move our cars to the front.

"There's already no parking on one side of the street," he said. "If you prohibit it on the other side, where will we park?"

The Maple Street situation has plagued the city for about four years now. A few years ago, the city tried to pass a quarter-cent sales tax measure that would have funded street improvements, including widening of Maple Street. But the initiative failed.

Monday, residents were reassured by the council that no action would be taken without prior notification.

"Last week, the council argued almost the same way you did tonight," said Ward 2 Councilman John Rogers Jr. "We stood our ground for you.

"We realize that in the future we need to figure out a solution to bottlenecks in the roadway," he said. "We will keep fighting the battle, but we need more money right now to make any changes."

In other business, the cable committee told council members it was drafting a proposal to terminate the city's franchise agreement with Falcon Cablevision if KFVS (Channel 12) and other over-the-air network stations are taken off the system.

"We will stand our ground and we're not backing down," said Ron Oller, Ward 3 councilman and a member of the cable committee. "We're tired of this run around and we're going to do something about it."

Falcon Cablevision has until Oct. 6 to reach an agreement with stations such as KFVS.