Free Parking in Summit For Small Business Saturday

The Summit Common Council approved Tuesday a request from Summit Downtown, Inc. to offer free parking throughout the city on Saturday, Nov. 30, also known as Small Business Saturday.

Free parking for the prior day, Black Friday, had previously been approved. 

Susan Stewart, owner of The Silver Lining, told the council the day, incentivized by American Express, is a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season. 

Marin Mixon, executive director of Summit Downtown, Inc., said the organization had received numerous calls from small business owners in support of the additional day of free parking. 

Councilmen Robert Rubino and Patrick Hurley both said they support the measure as a means to facilitate "a happy, thriving downtown."

Fellow council member Albert Dill Jr. said while he would vote in support of it, he advised local business owners that sometimes free parking can "backfire." He said other towns have reported that on similar occasions spots don't turn over "and you don't get the results you want." 

Councilman Tom Getzendanner, an advocate for the privatization of parking, cast the lone dissenting vote.