A majority of Camden residents don't want paid parking, evidenced by 577 citizens who signed a petition quickly gathered over a few days, and 100% of the citizens and businesspeople who addressed the Board during public comment.

The Board is split 3 to 2 in rejecting the petition. In spite of the town attorney's opinion that, while under state statutes the Board need not accept the petition request to abandon paid parking, the Board could rescind its own action to implement it, and further that a future Board could also rescind.

The Board meeting was poorly conducted. Although Member Chris Nolan was hushed by the Chair when attempting to interject, Member Christopher Rheault was free to opine severally and Member Alison McKellar was unchecked in her rambling comments on legality, to the point where the town attorney had to advise her that he "wasn't going to argue with her."

Very clearly, this Board needs professional in-service on meeting conduct, time management and legislative responsiveness to citizens.

Member Ken  Gross, one of the dissenting two, made a comment about the lack of Jeffersonian wisdom that was stirring and prescient in its application to the Board for not following the will of the people.

In response to a citizen's question about a future Board abandoning paid parking, it is clear that future Board candidates in the upcoming election should be asked for their position on the critical matter of paid parking. 

Doc Wallace lives in Camden