City workers keep free parking privileges

City workers won't have to pay for their downtown parking spots after a Matthew Shoemaker resolution failed to find traction at Monday night's City Council meeting.

The Ward 3 councillor's resolution calling for paid staff parking at the Civic Centre, Essar Centre, Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site, transit terminal and bus barn gained support from only three of his colleagues.

Shoemaker asked that part-timers and summer students be excused from paying for parking, but other council members found his proposal fraught with complications, especially the unfairness of treating some workers differently than others.

"It's a nightmare not worth the upset or the aggravation that it will bring," said retiring Ward 1 Councillor Steve Butland. "This is going to impact morale, let there be no doubt."

Peter Niro, the city's commissioner of human resources, said union grievances would likely be filed if parking fees were imposed outside the collective bargaining process.

Mayor Christian Provenzano said the city is now turning the corner into better economic times and it's time to focus on building and engaging city staff to improve morale.

"We've driven a lot of change in the last few years," the mayor said. "We've frozen our staff salary. We've driven a lot of change through the staff and it has been challenging for the staff."

"I think we really need to focus on looking ahead and being really positive."

Here's how your councillors voted on the Shoemaker initiative:

• Lou Turco - against
• Frank Fata - for
• Joe Krmpotich - against
• Judy Hupponen - for
• Sandra Hollingsworth - against
• Ozzie Grandinetti - for
• Matthew Shoemaker - for
• Rick Niro - against
• Marchy Bruni - against
• Steve Butland - against
• Christian Provenzano - against