Lauren Hedman, Downtown Residents’ Opinions Overlooked

To the editor:
On its website, the City of Fargo states that the mission of the Parking Commission is to “manage, provide, promote and maintain safe, convenient, accessible, attractive and reasonably priced parking facilities that will meet the need of downtown businesses, employers, residents, and visitors.”

After moving downtown last summer, I eventually accepted the reality of enforcing 90 minute parking during the week. However, the same concept applied to Saturdays is unnecessary and shows disregard for those of us who call the neighborhood home. Had the parking commission been pursuing its stated objective by considering all parties, the opinions of downtown residents would have been just as valuable as those of downtown business owners.

Plainly stated, the Parking Commission already had a goal in mind ($) and presented 90 minute Saturday parking to the demographic they thought would supply the desired answer.

I’m willing to gather the overlooked opinions of downtown residents in order to supply the Parking Commission with the data that should have been acquired in the first place.

     
Lauren Hedman
Fargo