More Headaches From the Montclair Parking Authority

The Montclair Parking Authority will come to an end this month, and this week it proved that it cannot even competently manage its own dissolution.  

With only four members remaining in the parking authority commission after a series of resignations earlier this year, treasurer Dale Jacobs decided to resign unexpectedly on Monday. The commission was thus unable to operate or proceed with any financial billings and business because it did not have a quorum of four members.

In a swift response, the Montclair Council appointed three new members to the commission at its Tuesday night conference to make a quorum. The commissioners appointed were:

• Rich Murnick, a former township councilor;
• Brian Scantlebury, a former township councilor; and
• Pete Wolf.

Mayor Robert Jackson made what he called an “editorial comment” about the dissolution of the authority and its remaining members at Tuesday's council conference.

“I want to commend ... the people who remain on the authority, because it enables us to do business and leave this little point of our life in Montclair as ladies and gentleman,” said Jackson.

“I think other behavior that went on more recently – resigning and so forth – only really puts us in a situation we don’t need to be in.” 

The remaining commissioners include: 

• Ronnie Ann Powell;
• Anthony Innuale; and
• Jay Church.

The lack of a quorum on the commission would have delayed the transfer of parking enforcement to the township until the authoirty was finally dissolved on Jan. 1, said Business Manager Marc Dashield. 

“It just makes everything more difficult in terms of turning over funds [and] transferring bank accounts ...,” said Dashield about waiting until Jan. 1. 

The council unanimously voted earlier in December to dissolve the 10-year-old parking authority. The same night, the council created the Montclair Parking Utility which will assume all control of the moribund parking authority starting Jan. 1. 

In addition, the council passed three ordinances that will provide a smooth transition of parking enforcement to the township at the start of the year. 

The ordinances will keep in place all permits, rental agreements and fees for parking spaces issued by the authority on roads, and in parking lots and decks after Jan. 1. In addition, they will allow the township to regulate meters and overnight parking. 

“Basically we are changing the portions of our code which ... delegate power to the parking authority,” said township attorney Ira Karasick. “When the parking authority ceases, the ordinances take effect and provide continuity.”