City Government

Mayor Hotline March 29 to April 4

CHRISTIANS VIOLATE PARKING LAWS

3/31/08
Susan Graham
1009 W. Fort St.
Boise, ID 83702
Parking: I’m calling about continuing parking violations in the next block over. The First United Methodist Church has an entire block and they own only one-quarter of it on the southwest quarter on the corner of 12th and Hays is paved; the other three-quarters of that block between Hays, 12th, 11th, and Fort St. are not allowed to have parking.

The Methodist Church continues to violate this; on Sunday the 23rd of March there were 30 cars parked in the areas that are designated not for parking. On Sunday the 30th, there were 15 cars in the areas designated not for parking. I have written to the city and inquired about what they intend to do about these parking violations and have not received a response in the last month. I’m wondering what it takes to get a response from the city to stop these continued violations. I really would like a written response, so if that could happen, it would be grand. Thank you very much.
PDS
Action Taken: contacted


3/31/08
Eva Frank
405 S. 4th St.
Boise, ID 83702
ACHD: I was just calling about an incident that happened down here on 5th and Broad
Friday night. They were having a concert, that venue thing, I’m sure it’s that bunch.
Anyhow, they dumped paint down there Friday night on the sidewalk, red and green
paint. Puddles of it, I just wondered who to call to have them clean that up. A bucket
was in the garbage there at the venue; it says enamel on it. There are footprints all over
the sidewalks and everything else; it’s terrible looking. It goes clear up here to the alley
on 4th and Broad, well alley between 4th and 5th; and it tracks clear to the Venue and
across the street to the bank, it’s also kind of down their sidewalk on Broad. I just
thought I would tell you about it; I don’t know who to call. I’m going to call Public Works
next and see if somebody can clean that up some way. Thank you.
Action Taken: left msj

3/31/08
Jean Sorenson
Garden Valley
ACHD: I’m calling about Brookdale St. in Boise. I was walking there and there are
places where the sidewalks are in very bad shape and I took a bad fall. I’m not trying to sue anybody, I just want to let you know that there is a place where it’s dangerous to walk where one can fall and get hurt.
ACHD
Action Taken: left msj

4/1/08
Dave Johnson
906 Harrison Blvd.
Boise, ID 83702
IHS: I’m calling to find out who I need to call about barking dogs. I’ve got a problem with the neighbor back here, so give me a call back.
Action Taken: contacted

Ann Gallagher
Madera Place
83705
I’d like to know why Enterprise uses Canal St. as their private parking lot. This is the
narrow part of Canal off of Vista and they have all these cars parked on the street.
PDS

4/2/08
Anonymous
IHS: You know, with the price of gas like it is, it would be nice if the animal shelter or
clinic, who rarely answers their phone, if they would put on their information box the
hours that they are open and the hours that they are closed for lunch. Thank you.
IHS

Comments & Discussion

Comments are closed for this post.

  1. Mike Murphy...
    Apr 4, 2008, 5:39 pm

    I also live near the Cathedral of the Rockies, and concur with Ms. Graham 100%.

    Church attendees illegally park, speed like mad, and blow thru the neighborhood Stop Signs each and every Sunday…

    All to get to church!

    You would think that with one of their own having been struck and killed at 10th and Hays recently, they’d be just a little more considerate.

    But hey… It’s a working class neighborhood and THEY don’t live there, so they don’t care.

  2. Susan, goodness this sounds terrible did you call 911? These bible thumpers have gone too far!! Parking illegally!! On a Sunday!!! On a similar note Susan, I have personally seen dozens of people parking in loading zones downtown on Sundays!! This illegal parking on Sundays is getting epidemic! Tell you what Susan next Sunday I’ll bring some pitch forks and torches and with your keen eye we will find these Sunday illegal parkers and run em’ out of town! Order will be restored!! Keep up the good work!

  3. Mike Murphy...
    Apr 5, 2008, 11:38 am

    Hey Steve “L”-

    It wouldn’t be such a problem if the illegal parking weren’t people parking their penis extensions (aka SUV’s) on the very corner (even jutting into) of intersections, thus blocking traffic’s view, forcing pedestrians to enter the intersections, and generally jeapordizing everyones safety.

    It wouldn’t be such a problem if these folks didn’t blow through four-way Stops at about 40mph in a 20mph Zone.

    All this in a a neighborhood where children (including mine) live, attend 4 other neighboring churches, play at the football field, walk, bike and skateboard, and head to the YMCA.

    Why don’t you let us all know where YOU live so we can treat YOUR neighborhood like crap!

    I suspect you’re one of the anal-apertures involved.

    Why else would you direct so much venom at the good Ms. Graham?

  4. Church of the Rockies – the cancer that ate the North End. Wouldn’t it have been cheaper for them to buy some buses and pick up their members than to buy this valuable property to use once or twice a week? Somebody has way too much money laying around. How about taking care of the poor and sick? Isn’t that the message of Christianity? I had a friend who attended that church many years ago. She was Miss Idaho one year. She said she quit going when she realized their collection plates were worth more than the money being donated. Sorry to be so negative but I just think the whole idea of religion has gotten totally screwed up from its original position of taking care of the needy people. Since I no longer live in the area I can’t get in a knot about the parking but I do get riled about religious folk thinking they don’t have to obey laws.

  5. I have to agree with Steve L on this one. I also live in the north end and I also happen to live across the street from a church. One hour out of one week of the day I have people parking in front of my house, and somehow I manage. Your problem involves one simple solution. If someone is illegally parked in front of your house then post a sign and have them towed, other wise mind your own business because it does not involve your property. If they are “blowing through 4 way signs” on a consistent basis then contact the police I’m sure they can up patrols on your crime filled neighborhood. Mr. Murphy and Ms. Graham need to lighten up and maybe sleep in on Sundays while all the do-badders are terrorizing their neighborhood.

  6. Please define “anal-apertures” for those of us un-inlightened

  7. Sounds like Murphy needs to find something to do with his spare time again.

  8. Carfull now. These people cause War’s in the name of Religin.

  9. CAUTION–You guys are beginning to sound like writers at the DAILY PAPER. We discourage course dialogue and name calling. Feel free to be creative, but try to stick with the parking topic and a civil discussion.

  10. Mike Murphy...
    Apr 6, 2008, 3:43 pm

    Friends, Romans, Countrymen…

    You’re right. I should lighten up.

    So what if an old lady was struck and killed in the vicinity while crossing the street during a church function recently.

    I’m sure her family’s gotten over it by now.

    So what if the jeapordization of peoples safety spreads over the course of an entire day vis-a-vis “one” hour (Multiple Church Services).

    My neighbors with 5 little kids who cross the neighborhood streets to play in the field will just have to deal.

    So what if I was struck head-on about 2 months ago by a knucklehead church goer treating a residential alley like Daytona whilst chatting on a cell phone (And yes… She was cited).

    Your right… I should just make believe I don’t see what is happening right before my eyes as I enjoy a cup of coffee on my stoop with friends or toss the football with my son.

    God… The nerve of me, not wanting people to treat my neighborhood like crap.

    The audacity of me expecting “Christian” behavior from “Christians”.

    I’ll immediately become either an ostrich or a narcissist, so I’ll fit in better.

    ; )

    ———————————-

    P.S. Commentary such as this IS “Lightened Up”, and considered important enough by men far more brilliant than all of us combined to be the FIRST Amendment to the Constitution.

    Gasoline and Ice Picks… Now THAT’S nuts!

  11. Mike Murphy...
    Apr 6, 2008, 5:18 pm

    P.S.

    Sorry GB4K. I almost forgot your question…

    My Microbiology Professor in College used to have a bumper sticker that read:

    “Anal Apertures Abound!”

    Translation… A******s Are Everywhere!

  12. My, my! Does no one believe in “Forgive them their trespasses”?
    Tsk, such heathen attitudes.
    (Hey, the other heathens at least go to church. Reckon it’ll do them any good?)

  13. It would be interesting to know what the response of the BPD was, if any. I think that traffic enforcement is very poor in Boise. I wouldn’t expect parking issues to be any better.

  14. Where would Jesus park? Do they ever think about that?

  15. Looking at the Ada County land records, the church does own the whole block. It seems silly that a one can’t park on their own land. But maybe there is something with zoning that applies in this case.

  16. Nobody has mentioned that Easter (March 23) is a HUGE day in the Religion Business! Maybe not quite up there with Christmas, but almost. And that’s the day when the Cathedral of the Rockies pulls out all the stops to get the “casual Christians” through the door… you know, before they go out for Easter brunch. The point being… it seems no more common-sense to complain about their overflow parking on that one day, than to complain about traffic on the interstate based on a 7:30am snapshot.

  17. Warren Tyler
    Apr 9, 2008, 1:53 am

    Mike M:

    As one of those “knucleheaded” churchgoers you mention, I pray that you NEVER get elected into office where you can do some real damage with your anti-religous attitudes. As someone that had intentions of being an elected official, you should know better than to be offensive to relgious individuals. I would hate to hear your views on race. i am sure they have the same “well thought out analysis” as yor views on religon.

    The real problem is not the church. It is the zoning laws, education of the zoning laws, and the proper enforcement of the zoning laws.

  18. After reading all the various comments above it occured to me that this is not a parking issue it is a “I don’t like people of religion issue” Why else would anyone make such a big deal about parking on Sundays in the first place. It is baffling that the North End, the land of free thinking would produce two such narrow minded individuals. The Susan Graham’s and Mike Murphy’s of the world would never blame the Boise High School Students or YMCA patrons of wrong doing on the streets of our fair city. But yet they paint a wide brush when it comes to folks who choose to attend a church service on Sundays. It is sad because as a LIFE long North Ender I have always held a Live and Live attitude. Lets be glad that religious people of all faiths chose to worship in our neighborhood. And for those of us not religious (my self included) lets get along and respect each others beliefs. But most of all mind your own business.

  19. Warren Tyler makes the point:
    You can’t expect these good Christian folks to do the right thing just because they should — you must have law enforcement officers force them to park in legal ways.
    Or, of course, you could just change the laws to let them do whatever they want to (his other suggestion).
    And, wow! He can psychoanalyze people just by reading a blog comment! Even figure out that you must think being an immigrant is in the same category as parking illegally.
    Amazing!
    (I guess I ain’t a very good Christian — I don’t go to church often, and when I do, I park legally. Tsk! Evil me!)
    But, then, I like most of the immigrant folks I’ve met, too. Guess I must be un-American or psycho or something.

  20. Mike Murphy...
    Apr 14, 2008, 12:00 pm

    Dear Mr. Tyler-

    “Anti-Religious Attitudes” ? ! ? !

    I was raised Irish-Catholic, attended Catholic School, presently attend various churches sporadically (including Cathedral of the Rockies) with my Son, and support the right of all Americans to worship the God(s) of their choice.

    As far as my views on race… I was raised amongst Black, Puerto Rican and Eastern-European Jewish Folks in Brooklyn, New York with the value: “God created all men equal”.

    The closest thing I had to a father growing-up was a Black Gentleman of Southern descent who instilled in me a Zero B.S. Threshold, among many other fine qualities.

    To try to label me as a racist or religiously intolerant because I can’t stand narcissists (not a “church” proper) treating my neighborhood poorly is the height of absurdity!

    A few of my other abhorant traits…. I’ve been commended by the LAPD for pulling 5 people out of a burning automobile just before it blew-up. Commended by the BPD for capturing an escaped convict that had eluded 4 police agencies. Commended by the U.S. Navy for saving a chocking victim’s life.

    I’ve even rescued a kitten from a tree, protected the weak from bullies, and helped old ladies cross the street.

    And as a single dad raised a fine, racially and religiously tolerant, 4 year Honor Roll son.

    Yep… I’m a horrible person alright.

    And you’re right… The fact that I’m not afraid to call the Kettle Black and refuse to endeavor to be all things to all people probably precludes my having any success in politics.

    How will I ever live with myself?

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