- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

At this evening's Council meeting, Councillor Scott Greig asked whythe following motion was tabled (not allowing it to be voted on) at the September DIA meeting:

"Motion: Moved by Jacquie Furtner and seconded by Francesca Dobbyn that the OSDIA look at other options to this proposal by researching how other Municipalities have accomplished free parking and how they paid for it.

Further, a clear understanding of how we will work with the City of Owen to accomplish the proposed changes needs to be established.

And further, OSDIA staff will prepare a 2019 budget based on the current year (2018) budget."

Councillor O'Leary replied that he moved to table the motion because it was a motion to dismiss the proposed changes.

I attended the meeting in question where the survey about DIA re-structuring and parking was discussed, and it was considered to be inconclusive. I agree with the minutes, approved tonight by Council, that read:
“Members of the Board discussed the survey results and although there are great ideas within those results the Board chose to delay the decision to do further research.”

That discussion was the basis for the original motion. I confirmed tonight with the seconder, Francesca Dobbyn, that the intention of the motion was exactly as it stated – to allow time for consideration and more homework, and to clarify any new relationship with the City.  It was not a motion to dismiss, but to delay any decisions.

That motion was tabled – set aside – by Mr. O'Leary's motion, and the process continued as Mr. O'Leary had first proposed last spring.

DIA member Peter Reid, owner of the Chicago Building, asked for details concerning 1st Avenue West parking meters.  No answers were given.

The DIA meeting is being held Wednesday, November 21 at 7 p.m. at the Bayshore to discuss significant changes to their structure and budget. Many significant details of the relationship between the City and the DIA have not been decided at the board level, and have never been presented to the membership.

We ask again - what is the rush?