Leesburg commissioners slashed a $222,667 parking design resolution by one third after a spirited debate over the cost of the contract Tuesday night.
District 3 Commissioner Jay Connell asked that the resolution be pulled for discussion before the matter was put to a vote. Connell told the other commissioners that he believed that $222,667 for the design of a parking lot and a study of downtown parking places was excessive.
District 4 Commissioner Mike Pederson urged the commission to move forward on the parking proposal. He stressed the importance of addressing downtown parking as the city continues to grow. He noted the explosive growth of the downtown area of Mount Dora and the expense that city will face to address downtown parking.
Pederson moved that the resolution be modified to eliminate the $72,894 for optional services. City Manager Al Minner said that the optional services could be addressed at a later date if they become necessary. Connell still felt that the expense for the design phase was excessive even with the optional services eliminated.
The modified resolution passed on a 4-1 vote with Connell voting no.