Sparked by an earlier meeting in which a Morrison trustee suggested dwindling restaurant business could be solved by improving their food, the town’s business owners came out in force to the board meeting from Morrison on January 21. They again asked for help to resolve parking issues they say are hurting their bottom line, and one restaurateur called for action against administrator Paul Sutton.
Sutton, who made the critical comment, was not present at this week’s meeting. He is overseas and was not available for comment.
Board members said they heard concerns from merchants and agreed they would take action to address their parking concerns, which run the gamut from heavy fines and inadequate signage for paid parking right down to the lack of parking in high season.
“We started paying for parking for businesses because they wanted to increase their revenue,” said Administrator John Leonard. “The idea was to support businesses. But they say it doesn’t work. If it hurts you, we should fix it.
Mayor Chris Wolfe asked the owners at the meeting to survey the city’s entire business community and come back to the Feb. 4 meeting with their recommendations. In the meantime, the city will review its contract with Interstate Parking, which manages the paid system.
“Business, come tell us your plan,” he said. “We will discuss it and then vote.”
The board’s plan follows sometimes emotional comments from several city business owners, including Tony Rigatoni and Rooftop Tavern owner Reza Ardehali. He asked the board to remove or discipline Sutton, saying his comments during the January 7 meeting violating his responsibilities as a municipal administrator.
Ardehali, Butch Luedtke, owner of the Morrison Inn, and Dave Killingsworth, owner of the Morrison Holiday Bar, jointly brought their parking concerns to the board on Jan. 7. Sutton said parking isn’t to blame for his slow business.
“Make your restaurants destinations where the food is good and people want to eat there,” he said, adding that he has had bad experiences eating at their establishments.
“Mr. Sutton’s abject disrespect for the city’s restaurants should not be tolerated,” Ardehali said. “His public comment sent the message (that) the food in this city sucks (which it is) a bulletin board topic for every other restaurant in the area Why eat at Morrison’s – even city officials say the food there is terrible.
Ardehali said Sutton had “fiduciary duties to the town” and cited a board resolution that said trustees should support, value and respect the interests of the community.
“Listening to all points of view and facts with an open mind before deciding an issue is another duty of the resolution,” Ardehali said. “Yet during the hearing, Mr. Sutton remarked, ‘I’m done with this conversation.’ There is plenty of parking in town.
“He is a member who took an oath to represent me and this community. He must answer for this behavior,” Ardehali continued. “The city charter provides for the removal of an administrator for embezzlement. I hereby request that the Mayor investigate and consider sanctions against Mr. Sutton, including but not limited to his removal from the Board of Directors.
The board did not immediately respond to Ardehali’s request.
“I’m suffering, my business is suffering, so are we all,” said Barbara Boudreaux, owner of La Boutique Des Boudreaux. “The financials should show it. It’s a parking lot right now. I hope we can all keep our jobs.
Krista Gaasvig, owner of Hungry Goat restaurant, said she is a fan of paid parking, but the system needs to be changed. She presented the council with several potential solutions, including free parking during the quiet months of January, February and March, reduced enforcement hours for paid parking and better signage.
“Parking is a problem that needs to be addressed quickly,” she said. “I get told all the time: ‘I didn’t know it was paid’. People are frustrated that I got a ticket and say I’ll never come to Morrison again. Improving signage would make sense.
She also believes the city needs more parking.
“We’re a seasonal town,” she said. “You build your water treatment plant for maximum utilization. We need parking for peak usage.
Morrison Holiday Bar owner Dave Killingsworth, who has repeatedly addressed the council about inadequate parking, spoke again on January 21.
“I don’t feel the community,” he said. “I never really did it. I’d like you to go out and do a retreat and see what you want to do to create a community here.
“You received $37,000 from me last year in sales tax,” he continued. “I want a refund. You are not helping us. I don’t know why the city of Morrison is making it so difficult for businesses.
Several board members expressed empathy and a desire to help merchants, including Mayor Wolfe, who opened the session with a statement.
“We love our businesses, we love our residents and we really want everyone to know that we work hard to represent them and do the best we can,” he said. “We know there are hiccups from time to time.
“My father once told me that for every problem there is a solution,” he continued. “That’s the attitude (of) our city manager and this board. We want to move forward and make sure you know we appreciate you.
Morrison’s sales tax revenue fell from about $2.4 million in 2023 to $1.9 million in 2024, according to city records. This could partly be attributed to the mid-October closure of Café Prague, a popular fine dining restaurant in the Czech city center.
During the same period, the city collected nearly $300,000 in parking revenue, including parking fees and tickets, according to city documents.
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