Council Looks To Dissolve Montclair Parking Authority

On Tuesday night, the Montclair Township Council will take a final vote on an ordinance dissolving the much-maligned Montclair Parking Authority.

If the ordinance passes, "then it's a done deal" and the state will be notified, town officials said Monday.

In a preliminary vote last month, the council voted to dismantle the entity.

The issue of whether to dissolve the Montclair Parking Authority, which is responsible for the oversight of all parking operations in town, has become something of a battle of wills in recent weeks.

Montclair Parking Authority Commissioner Gerry Tobin told council members earlier this month that the entity is willing and capable of doing whatever the council wants.

But members of the current council, which took office on July 1, say they want more control over parking issues in order to drive more economic development.

In January, the board of the Montclair Parking Authority—which has been unable to meet its financial obligations— to enter into a new contract with the township.

At the time, then-Mayor Jerry Fried said he was confident that the new agreement would pave the way for improved parking services and accountability.

"Almost all [township] council members believe that having a separate authority is a benefit to the township and we will continue this structure," he said at the time.

But now Robert Jackson is mayor and he appears to have his own ideas.

"The Mayor does say he has a plan ... so we'll just have to see what that plan is, and how it plays out," said former Councilor Cary Africk. "He seems to be very confident, so let's give him the benefit of the doubt."

Africk, who has spent considerable time studying the Montclair Parking Authority, recently said that the problem isn't the current form.

"An authority is fine. A utility poses problems, one of which is that it would report to the town manager and he certainly doesn't need more work and responsibility," he said.

As it stands, the Montclair Parking Authority is in charge of the town's public parking lots, parking meters, parking permits, parking decks, and the enforcement of parking rules.

Under the new council's proposal, the council and township manager would take charge of all parking matters including the development of parking lots.

A parking utility would be set up to oversee parking, parking lots, and parking meters.

For years,all sorts of concerns related to the Montclair Parking Authority's handling of parking issues.

For a look at the town council's complete agenda for Tuesday night's meeting, go here.

Do you think the Montclair Parking Authority should be dissolved? Let us know in the comments section below.