City backtracks on Buffalo one-way vote

From right, Council member Eric Haven, Mayor Steven Percival, and council members Jason Kneisc and Scott Reynolds discuss city streets. Photo by Phil Custodio

BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Buffalo Street will remain “two way” after Clarkston City Council reversed an earlier decision.
“I honestly thought we were sending it out to be discussed with (city engineer) Gary Tressel – whether it would work or not, not that we were making a permanent decision,” said Council member Sharron Catallo at the March 12 meeting. “That seems strange to me.”
City Council discussed a city engineer study of one-way traffic at the Feb. 12 meeting, but the final word before the vote was “approving one-way traffic pending engineering.”
City Council voted 5-2 to approve the motion, Feb. 12. On March 12, Council voted 7-0 to set it aside.
“I think it should be two way,” said Council member Sue Wylie, who was one of the “no” votes, Feb. 12.
However, parking should be removed from that part of the road, Wylie said.
“I think we should listen to our residents – those people do not want parking there,” she said. “Something’s got to give.”
A motion to remove parking from Buffalo was defeated, 4-3. Catallo and council members Eric Haven, Jason Kneisc, and Scott Reynolds voted “no.” Voting “yes” were Wylie, Mayor Steven Percival, and Council member Rick Detkowski.
The city should try more street signs, markings, and enforcement before removing parking, Catallo said.
“I thought the initial charge to this was to find parking – you can’t just continue to remove it,” she said. “That just keeps pushing into other people’s neighborhoods.”
Kneisc said he was not prepared to vote for removing parking.
“If it’s because residents say they don’t want parking, we might as well allow every resident to make their own determination, if they allow parking in front of their house or not,” he said.
Haven said they should consult more with the city engineer.
“We’re a group of amateurs,” he said. “My recommendation is, over time, we have our professionals advise us – we need professional input on this issue.”
Cara Catallo, downtown resident and Sharron’s daughter, said removing parking would increase traffic speed and decrease safety.
Curt Catallo, restaurant owner and Sharron’s son, added removing parking could change the business equation they made when moving into town.
“When decisions are made haphazardly, it has a direct impact on our confidence – it makes us nervous as a business,” Curt said.
Resident Joe Luginski, former mayor, said the decision should be made as part of a comprehensive parking plan for the city.
“Look at the larger picture as opposed to putting bandaids on a whole bunch of cuts,” Luginski said.
Percival said another issue brought up by residents is conflict of interest by Catallo, who owns a rental home on Buffalo and whose son, Curt Catallo, owns three restaurants on Main Street. Residents have said employees and patrons contribute to parking problems on city streets late into the night.
Reynolds said it seems to be a conflict, and he will not vote on parking issues on E. Washington Street, where he lives.
“I would give input, but the charter asks us to not participate in a vote – that’s what I will do,” he said. “It’s the appearance of what it creates.”
Sharron didn’t see a conflict of interest, and recusing from the vote would set a “strange precedent.”
“We’re such a small community,” she said. “I’m not sure it’s the right answer, every time we vote on something close to your house, you have to recuse?”
Kneisc did not see a conflict of interest.
“It is absurd,” he said. “Every single decision made up here affects (council members) personally.”
“This stretches the issue of conflict of interest to the absurd,” Haven said.
Asked if parking presents a financial conflict of interest, city attorney Thomas Ryan said the property is not Catallo’s residence and has more than enough parking, so doesn’t present a conflict in a parking issue.
A motion to recuse Catallo from the vote died without a second.

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