For the week of June 26 - July 2, 2002

Town meeting attracts more than 80

Leaders asked to reset some priorities

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

Ketchum citizens last week asked their city government to reset some priorities, with several asking the Ketchum City Council to remove recent emphasis on alleviating downtown parking shortages.

"Let’s move (parking) to the periphery" of downtown Ketchum said local artist Will Caldwell. Express photo by David N. Seelig

"Why is parking so high on the priority list?" asked Ketchum Parks Superintendent Terry Tracy. "I don’t think it should be given the emphasis it has been given."

Citizens aired various comments and concerns June 19 at the second town hall meeting of Mayor Ed Simon’s administration. Land acquisition, affordable housing, public transportation and the potential for property tax relief were also hot issues for Ketchum citizens.

Suggestions pertaining to master planning city properties and priorities continued to circulate.

In response to a suggestion from Blaine County Housing Authority Chairman David Kipping to plan city properties for affordable housing, Councilman Maurice Charlat reiterated prior calls to master plan all of the city’s land for all potential uses.

"Now is the time to get together and get it done," he said, alluding to a process whereby the public’s opinions could be shaped into a plan for the various city-owned properties.

Simon also reiterated his call to arms for Ketchum citizens.

"Time is moving so fast that you’re elected officials can’t do it alone," he said. "We need input from the public."

On parking, the most popular topic of the evening, several citizens said they do not want to compromise the city’s pedestrian amenities for more automobiles.

"We’re screwing ourselves over. Let’s encourage parking out of the downtown," said Hurley Hamilton.

"Let’s move it to the periphery," agreed local artist Will Caldwell.

The city has just concluded a parking experiment on East Avenue in front of Ketchum City Hall. The experiment, which may have fueled comments at the meeting, involved parking automobiles in a tighter configuration to maximize the city’s return on available real estate.

Sun Valley resident retired engineer and parking experiment coordinator Milt Adam, however, said citizens he talks with are becoming acclimated to the idea.

 

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