Editor,
I attended last Wednesday’s CAPC meeting to lend my support to James DeVito during his Parking Facility presentation. Interactions with visitors regarding parking are daily and numerous. I am a proponent of building a multi-functional facility not only to give visitors a place to park, but also, to provide them, and ourselves, with modern, ADA compliant restrooms, baby changing stations, etc., as not everyone is able park and walk.
Shuttle/taxi/trolley are not available in the evenings during gallery strolls, late shopping, dining, entertainment and so on. Also, in the heat of summer or other weather extremes, outlying parking is just too far. And, bottom line, we do not have enough. Despite the input I receive from locals who are in favor of such a structure, only one other person accompanied me to lend support. If you would like to see this happen in downtown Eureka, please let your voices be heard.
Second, I would like to share my experience at the CAPC meeting. I did not sign up to speak. Chairman Ketelsen was kind enough to allow me.
During James’s presentation, one particular CAPC member would occasionally interject, would give another CAPC member across the table these “looks.” Big-eyed looks, big smiles, shoulder shrugs, etc. It felt anything but welcoming.
It should feel welcoming. They are here to serve us. We pay the revenues and in the case of council members, elect them. I felt like I was intruding. Why are we still holding City Council and CAPC meetings in this tiny room where members sit around a table facing one another and only a few members of the community can even attend?
What if 200 or more people wanted to attend a meeting? It would be too bad, not to mention that the building itself does not lend itself to the disabled.
I am asking the leadership in our town to please come together and make an immediate change of location for these meetings. If this is important to you, I hope you will also ask for something better for our community. I believe it will enable us to work together in a more positive way and also, promote participation in local government.
Teresa Pelliccio DeVito