The Leflore County Civic Center Advisory Board has approved a new policy that would charge $1 parking fee for all ticketed events held in the center's arena.
The board rescinded a policy it had adopted in December to charge $3 per vehicle for parking at events drawing more than 500 cars. A controversy over this charge erupted at the annual Millennium Blues Festival in early March.
The festival's promoter, Ruben Hughes, did not learn of the charge until the day of the event, he said, even though the festival had been booked a year in advance.
Regarding the new $1 fee proposal, Hughes said, "That's not going to work either. People have been parking in that lot for free for 40 years."
Andrew McQueen, the center's director, said the festival was not booked. The center assumes the event will fall on the same March weekend every year, he said.
The Civic Center's parking fee resolution was adopted in December and put into effect on the first of the year, before the event was scheduled, he said.
Fees collected from event totaled $2,500, McQueen said.
The money, except for $440 used to pay parking workers, went into the county's general fund, he said.
Herman Sullivan, chairman of the center's advisory board, said parking fees were collected for the maintenance of the lot.
The new proposal to collect $1 for parking on all tickets was discussed at the Leflore County Board of Supervisors' meeting Monday. The supervisors tabled the issue until next Monday's meeting.
Chancery Clark Sam Abraham said he does not believe the center's board needs the supervisors' approval to change the center's policy.
"I think this was just a situation where they wanted to get the full backing of the board due to the controversy," Abraham said.
Also, controls to ensure that parking money was going to the county would not have to be in place under the new $1-per-ticket policy, Abraham said. No parking lot attendants or car counters would be needed, he said.
"Speaking as a citizen of Leflore County, I don't appreciate the board dragging its feet on a matter such as the Civic Center," said Lee Hall, advisory board member. "People who want to do business need to know what to expect.
"I think we owe the citizens of Leflore County and the patrons of the Civic Center better than that. I appreciate Larry Johnson taking a stance on it and not wanting to impose a fee," Hall said.
