City Council meeting Goes Late into the Night
Council prepares for summer months, looks at parking, red lights

After proclamations of Community Heritage Month to Naperville Public Library Volunteers Week, concerns about the municipality jumped right in. Owners of a Dairy Queen on Ogden Avenue wanted to bring to the attention of the Council the condition of their parking lot. An underground transformer had been installed, but the process damaged private property. This raised questions and concerns about what is being done to control city staff projects. The owners were able to set up a time to discuss the issue further.

Several agenda items were passed using the Omnibus method; however, certain items were specifically pulled. These items included: an Ordinance to amend the Naperville Municipal Code related to the amplification in the downtown area, an Ordinance to adopt a gas tax on natural gas, an Ordinance to suspend the three hour parking limit for the summer months as well as considerations about the Automated Red Light Photo Enforcement Program among
others.

Some of these pulled agenda items raised more contention than others.
Parking is always a hot issue in the city, not only for visitor parking, but
commuter parking near the Metra Station. Both Agenda items were discussed
at length. For visitors to the downtown area, Naperville Central High
School's parking lot will be a big help come summer. City Officials will be
allowed to park in the school lot come summer, freeing up the municipal
center parking garage for visitors.

Commuter parking was also a major issue. The commuter parking permits have
not had the rates raised since 1995, and the council felt it was time for
the increase. Councilman Krause said he supported the increase because the
city would need to funds for equipment for things like snow removal. The
fees were raised, with higher prices for non-residents.

The Automated Red Light Photo Enforcement Program elicited the most response
and conflict.

"Traffipax, Inc has failed to meet its obligations and provide certain
services under the Automated Red Light Photo Enforcement Agreement.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Agreement, the Agreement with
Traffipax, Inc. should be terminated for failure to perform," was proposed
to the council.

Traffipax, Inc.'s representation said the county did not have the necessary
equipment for what they wanted, and the county could not take in all the
information it asked for.

Councilman Boyajian said that the client broke the contract, and Traffipax,
Inc. got in over its head.

Traffipax was given two weeks to fix any problems before they come before
the council again.

NCTV17's Lindsey Theis Reports.