OLEAN — Removal of some of the city’s last parking meters and funding the bus service were mulled by the Common Council on Thursday.

As the Common Council’s finance committee continued its review on Thursday of Mayor Amy Sherburne’s proposed $30 million spending plan, Sherburne proposed removing the parking meters along the Times Square side of the municipal building.

“I propose that we just have 15-minute parking signs there,” she said. “We’re talking a nickel and a dime for 15 minutes.”

“I watched during the winter, snow when it would just pile up between the meters, and watching elderly people trying to navigate over the snow banks,” she said. “Are we really worried about a dime when we have elderly people trying to navigate over a snow bank? We just need to use the honor system.”

Council members were in support of the move, as the city has two part-time employees checking parking meters.

Sherburne also suggested work to spread the costs of the mayor’s office and legal services between the general fund, water fund and sewer fund. The latter two funds are funded almost exclusively by water and sewer ratepayers, including nonprofits that do not pay property taxes and out-of-city users.

DEPARTMENT OF Community Development Coordinator Keri Kerper, while presenting her department’s budget, recommended using funds from the city’s hotel bed tax to cover the city’s $30,000 share of the Olean Area Transit System program.

The city previously controlled the system in conjunction with other partners including St. Bonaventure University, Intandem and the Seneca Nation of Indians, but the system was taken over by Allegany County in late 2024.

The bed tax, which brought in over $200,000 so far this fiscal year, is required to be used for tourism, economic development or similar uses, according to the law that authorized it.

“That would be an eligible item with community and economic development,” Kerper said, adding the city would survey users to see how many use it to commute to work.

Also in Kerper’s budget was an increase in travel and training costs for the city planning board. She noted the seven-seat board has three vacancies to fill, and members are required to take trainings under state law.

The council also entered into an executive session for about 40 minutes to discuss a personnel issue.