Council Opts Against Charging Students For Parking at Graydon Lot

Debbie Coniglio appeared before the Ridgewood Village Council Wednesday night, beseeching it to reject a plan to charge Ridgewood High School students for parking at a village lot.

"There's just so many times you can go to the constituency and ask them to pony up," she said on an ordinance scheduled to be introduced in minutes.

Coniglio did not leave disappointed. Following her remarks, Mayor Keith Killion announced council had agreed to scrap an ordinance for parking permits at the Graydon south lot.

Originally pitched in March as a revenue-generating source for a village searching for funds, council tabled the measure—which could make between $25,000 and $30,000 for the village—until August 4.

On Wednesday, council was scheduled to introduce a plan to establish 70 spots saved for permit parking from Sep. 10 to June 15 at the lot at Northern Parkway and Fairway Road and bordering Veterans Field. Students would pay $325 for 2010, and $425 for subsequent years.

But council pulled the ordinance Wednesday prior to a vote.

Each of the three present council members attributed different reasons for the measure flopping. Killion, Deputy Mayor Tom Riche and Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh all agreed in principle to pass it last week.

However, Killion based his initial decision on the Board of Education charging students to park. That aspect was later found to be untrue.

"My decision was based on the Board of Ed. When that fact changed, I knew I couldn't be behind this," he said.

Though students pay $513 annually to park at the First Presbyterian Church, that money goes to the church—not the school district. Additionally, street parking at Heermance Place is free and on a "first-come-first-serve basis," the district said last week.

During previous discussions, the deputy mayor said he was on the fence, but was willing to give the idea a shot. Wednesday, Riche said, "It's the wrong idea at the wrong time."

Walsh, who was also onboard last week, explained the decision to remove the ordinance.

"We just couldn't come to an agreement, so we pulled it," she said.

Councilman Paul Aronsohn, who was absent last night, has opposed the initiative from the start, previously saying, "To put an additional burden on the backs of students and families... I just can't support this."

Coniglio said it's difficult for high school students who participate in lots of activities to rely on parents and—sometimes in her children's case—public transportation.

Resident Boyd Loving objected to the plan last week and credited council for reversing its decision.

"I sincerely hope that this discussion never comes up again," he said.