Lansford Borough Council last week received a request that parking meters be removed in the downtown area.

Dave Benevy, who owns the Lansford Mini-Mall, said merchants think parking meters are detrimental to business.He added that several parking meters are broken and the fact that they haven't been repaired has created a type of blight in the business section.Several council members disagreed with Benevy, countering that removal of the meters would allow residents to take parking spots intended for potential customers.The discussion was similar to one in Lehighton council chambers not too long ago when former councilman George Kogut tried to get a consensus of the merchants on if the meters are wanted there.His findings were that the business community was split on the meter situation.The problem in both Lansford and Lehighton is it's a sure bet employees would occupy the parking spaces if meters are removed. Even where there is off-street parking for employees, there is a convenience to parking on the street.In Palmerton, where no meters exist, the issue of possibly adding parking meters came up some time ago because of residents and employees taking the parking spaces in the business district.In both Lehighton and Lansford, one thing is obvious. The present meters are antiquated and as a result might be keeping shoppers away.Neither town has the resources to maintain the aging meters as they should, leading to the frustration caused when people try to use them, can't, and have to decide if they should risk getting a ticket or move to another parking spot.The present meters rely on coins. In Lehighton, only quarters can be used. If you find yourself short on quarters, forget about parking.We think about Allentown, which has modern parking meters which take credit cards.If you get distracted in a store and your meter expires, whether in Lansford or Lehighton, the parking becomes expensive.The main reason the meters might be better removed is because the business districts of both communities aren't what they used to be.Lehighton used to have Bright's Department Store, a five-and-ten store, clothing stores, numerous furniture stores and three banks. Today it has one bank and numerous individually owned stores.Lansford also once had a thriving business district. Several larger stores have left in the past few decades.Besides, people are spoiled. At shopping malls they don't have to pay a fee to park. Yet if they want to eat at a downtown restaurant or patronize some local merchant, they have to worry about feeding parking meters and watching their time.Parking meters create an inconvenience. People avoid inconveniences.Maybe both towns could have free parking for a few months on a trial period to see how it works out, and then survey the merchants regarding their feelings on the matter.By RON GOWERrgower@tnonline.com