Reimburse parkers for being displaced

Every year for at least the past three years, hundreds of Metra riders such as me who park at the Roselle station are inconvenienced by the village’s “Rose Festival” carnival, which occupies the North commuter and Maple Avenue parking lots for the entire week following Memorial Day.

Those of us with monthly, quarterly and annual parking permits are not reimbursed for the week we are banished from these lots. In essence, the Village of Roselle is double dipping — they keep the money we’ve already paid for parking permits as well revenue earned from the festival.

At least I assume the event is revenue producing — I’ve never seen more than a handful of people in attendance. Is this really the most appropriate and beneficial use of taxpayer dollars?

Parking in the street 10 minutes away from the station is not what I paid for. Perhaps the village considers the prorated amount of a week’s parking to be minimal; however, it’s still our money and we are entitled to what we’ve paid for.

For some this does represent a significant amount of money, and if you calculate it by the number of people who pay to park at the station, the village makes out pretty well for that week.

If it’s truly necessary to hold this event, there are other venues in Roselle far less inconvenient for all involved. In a time when local government is under scrutiny for its ability to provide services to residents, the village may want to rethink this event — or at the very least reimburse us.

Mari Fecarotta

Schaumburg