A resolution prohibiting parking on the north and south side of East Court Street between Hayes and 19th streets was passed 6-2 at the regular City Council meeting Monday night.

Council member Calvin Carey said he was concerned with the residents in that area, most of whom are 65 or older and would have difficulty parking their vehicles farther away and walking to their homes.

“They’ve asked that they be able to still park on the street,” he said.

Beatrice Police Chief Bruce Lang voiced the department’s view on the parking and turn lane issue.

“It’s a much safer, from an engineering point of view, a much safer way to flow traffic through there to have the center turn lane,” Lang said.

“When you have traffic moving and you have parked cars that creates side distance issues.”

Council member Alan Fetty said he has promoted this idea since the city street projects began.

“If we’re going to do it, I think now would be the time to do it,” he said.

“This is the only stretch of highway in the city that has any parking on it.”

Fetty said West Court Street has been doing fine without parking on the highway.

“Everybody seems to work with it,” he said.

Council member Jason Schmale said he and council member Gary Lytle knocked on doors of people living in that area to get an idea of how those residents felt about the parking there.

Schmale reported that 13 people were contacted, with nine wanting parking allowed, three in favor of prohibiting it and one that didn’t care either way.

“I think I need to vote as far as the voice of the people,” Schmale said.

Some residents of the area in question also spoke against the ban.

Despite the opposition, the board passed the resolution 6-2 with council members Schmale and Carey against.

The next regular council meeting is July 6 at 7 p.m.

In other council news:

- The council passed a resolution approving an agreement with Windstream Nebraska Inc. to upgrade the 911 phone system with a Vesta Pallas system. The system will allow 911 cell phone calls to be pinpointed to an almost exact location. The Nebraska Public Service Commission will pay $100,000 of the system, and the City approved funding the remaining $1,000.

- The council suspended the rules and read by number  three times an ordinance to convey city owned real estate located near Second and Bell streets to Custom Fixtures, Inc. Property owners and tax payers have 30 days to protest the ordinance.

- The council approved the first reading of an ordinance to amend section 16-313 of the City Code regarding parking of trucks and trailers. Due to problems in different areas of Beatrice, trucks and trailers will now not be allowed to be parked on any street for longer than is needed to unload or collect goods.