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Court house workers ask for parking
Published Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Visitors to the Covington County Courthouse may have to soon mind where they park, after commissioners opened discussions Monday to establish employee-only parking areas near the courthouse.
There are 66 employees who “battle for parking spaces” each day, Chairman Lynn Sasser said.
“It would be a lot more convenient if employees knew exactly where to park each day, and it would free up space on the square,” Sasser said.
Sasser said there are two areas where the employee parking lots could be located — the lot behind the courthouse and the parking area where the old annex building used to stand.
“There is already an area designated right behind the courthouse that is reserved for judges and their secretaries, but it would make things better if the employees had a spot to park,” he said.
Discussion then ensued on whether or not to give department heads assigned parking and how to “go about getting it done.” Commissioners agreed to ask Circuit Clerk Roger Powell to act as a liaison between the courthouse employees and Commissioner Bragg Carter and County Engineer Darren Capps to establish the specific areas.
County Attorney Rick Clifton informed commissioners the areas must be clearly designated with signage.
In other business, the commission:
• closed a portion of Cook Loop Road.
• established Oct. 25-31 as Pro Bono week at the request of local attorney John Peek.
• granted authority to establish Garden Baptist Church cemetery.
• announced an application for an off-premise retail beer license for The Store, formerly known as Onycha Country Store.
Comments
Posted by sonnybubbajunebugjohnson (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 12:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If they could tear down the old county jail, there wouldnt be the big problem there is now, but the historical society will not hear of it. It would be nice to have a parking deck behind the court house, but i know that will never happen.
Posted by bamafootball (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That's messed up, if the "Historical Society" is the one standing in place on not tearing that old jail down, TAKE PICTURES, I'm sure nobody gives a $%^& about looking at that old piece of junk building, it's an eye sore if you ask me. It's not like it's a former Governer's mansion or something, it was a dang old, nasty, smelly, roach motel that makes me wanna puke every time I ride by it. I was never locked up there, but I did visit once or twice, haaa.
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Historical Society is all about what makes the most Goverment money for them. Why don't they fix /clean it up. I'm not sure but I think they do get some gov. funding to help preserve such old buildings as the jail. Yes the old jail is junk and nobody would care if that eye sore was gone. Thats right, make pictures.
Posted by voiceofreason (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There is a large piece of vacant land across South Cotton Street between an attorney office and Covington Casket that would make a great new employee parking lot. Then the spots closer to the courthouse could be available to the folks' payin' taxes.
Maybe the County needs to accidentally lose control of a bulldozer around the old jail. It needs to be torn down before the tale of it being haunted gets out which will bring the mischief element in and then a lawsuit against the county when someone gets hurt while trespassing. That's the way these things work.
Whatever happened to State's rights and Local Gov't autonomy?
Posted by starnewsreader (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, Tear it down. The area could be much better utilized for parking. Even if the Historical Society get money to restore the place, who would want to take a tour of an old jail? I can here it now.......
"Ok folks gather around. Now to your right is the cell that Ole So in So occupied after his arrest on DUI..........."
Posted by gwilli5413 (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Andy had plenty of parking about 25 years ago when they had parking inside the square. However I guess they thought the park would be better and look better. I personally liked driving right through e3Notch to Church St but downtown had more retail at that time. I guess now it is mostly law offices rather than dollar stores, hardware, feed and seed, Western Auto, Woolworths etc. The park looks pretty and has done great things for the By-Pass
Posted by Blondie (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen gwill5413!! They had to have a new square ( where you can only enjoy it during the day, cause if you are out there at night they will run you off) to make the "city" look better.... A NEW SQUARE AINT GONNA HELP OUT THAT MUCH PEOPLE!
when it use to be like it was, there was plenty of parking and you didnt have to feel like you were gonna be run over trying to get out from in front of the court house!! You take your life into your own hands if you park there sometimes!!! Now they want to have special parking for the employess only, hey that is good, but what about the tax payers, dont we deserve somewhere to park? and what is it with the "parking enforcer" that comes around and gives you a ticket for being parked in a parking place for over 20 mins? have you ever got into the courthouse and back out in less than 20 mins? Not me.
They should have thought about whether they wanted good looks, or parking when they re-did the square.
Posted by noonecares (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's funny when you see people who do not know exactly what they are talking about. As far as the square goes, if you go back and look, there were studies and planning of the square to make it what it is today. There is actually more parking spaces NOW than there was back then. There were many planners and engineers that looked into the parking situation and traffic flow. And as far as the businesses go, a majority had virtually shut down before the square was redone. Western Auto had been long gone. The square has more businesses with open doors now than they have had in 20 years. Look at the money that has been spent on the Murphy Building, the O'Neal Building, and some of the others.
As far as employee parking for the Courthouse...I agree, get rid of the stupid jail. The "Histerical" Society is a joke.
Posted by gwilli5413 (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So did that study find that....what? Yeah they were studies done when the square was like it is now before they removed it, oh but those people didn't know what they were talking about either. Exactly what was the purpose of putting the square back like it was if the business flow is on the bypass?
Posted by bluecollarguy (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 5:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Back before the square was re-routed the 'Entire' Courthouse was on the square, there was no Courthouse Annex like now, AND the old jail was still in operation and had a lot of traffic to substain it...the county had a parking problem then also, so the old Ice Plant was torn down, no one would approve the money for the demolition...I watched Johnny Mac Weed tear it down by himself as a volunteer if I remember right with a backhoe. There is also new parking where Shreve's Hardware was...I'm sure there is an empty building or lot nearby that could be turned into a parking lot for the county, maybe Burgess's old store place on South Cotton if its still there, or Referd Daughtry's Furniture Store location. A couple of dozen parking spaces for the employees should solve the problem, thats' not much land or asphalt....shouldn't be a problem.
Posted by MoreCowBell (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm happy with the way it (the square) is now.
Posted by tankmaster (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 8:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The square does have more parking than ever before, I have never went to the courthouse, even on a court day, that I could not find a parking place somewhere. I always find one, may not be in the front door, but i am not too good to walk across the square, ARE YOU? If they would have the employees park in the rear and across the street in the alley parking, there would be plenty all around the courthouse. The ladies from the Probate office park right in front, along with the ladies from the Circuit Clerk office, employees should not be allowed to park that close except for police and sheriffs. By the way there is a huge parking lot right behind the theatre and behind the fire station that no one is using, put the employees in that huge lot and free up the courthouse parking.
Posted by Shamrock (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just finished reading the book by James Prestwood about the Andalusia Tree, Chief Red Eagle, Desperado (the Andalusian horse), the Square, which has been restored, and all the different businesses that were in the Prestwood Building, plus much more.
I now understand where the idea for the murals came from.
Posted by noonecares (anonymous) on October 15, 2009 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There are parking places in some of the back lots around the square. Employees may have to walk but there are parking places available. Wal-Mart employees have a longer walk from where they have to park than the distance from some of these lots to the courthouse.
Posted by starnewsreader (anonymous) on October 15, 2009 at 4:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great idea folknos.....
But where is that 5 to 10 coming from? Me & You?
Then we would have to pay to park in our own building...
Posted by bluecollarguy (anonymous) on October 15, 2009 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am going to 'count' the public parking spaces available around the square area this upcomming week, including the parking lot on Cresent Street behind the O'Neal Bldg, and the parking at the old Shreve location, and around the square and behind the Courthouse on county owned property.....The City of Andalusia has newer parking between Church Street and the City Hall at what used to be a service station, and a whole city lot that used to be Butler's Feed & Seed and Cofields Beauty Shop between Church Street and Dunson Street. There is a privately owned 2 acre parking lot on Church Street that could possibly be rented as it is not being used right now(formerly Piggly Wiggly) owned by local Dr. Rex Butler, and even more city parking just down from the square on Historical Central Street between the old Pool Hall, Taxi Stand, & Oyster Bar............I will write a comment next week, maybe Tuesday and let you all know the outcome of the facts of the available parking....
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