The mayor and board of trustees met early last Thursday morning to interpret comments made during two informational meetings about paid parking and to decide what if any changes should be made before the law goes to a public hearing next week.

Trustee Lynne Mebust, the primary author of the law currently under consideration, reviewed some of the input and said she believes the public is receptive to paid parking.

``It is my feeling, when considering everything we heard from residents, that they are in favor of paid parking,’’ she said.

Board members wrestled with the different issues discussed at the two meetings, but Mebust said she didn’t think they were that far off from where they should be.

Trustee Jeff Katz mentioned comments about the board applying some of the new parking revenue to the budget to lower taxes and said he would like to think that would happen, but wanted no part of making promises to residents.

``In no way do I want to commit to giving back and find ourselves in the same position we’re in now,’’ he said.

In response to comments about charging more to park in the Doubleday Field lot, Katz suggested that perhaps a separate, more expensive Doubleday Field lot pass could be used.

``You’re undermining everything we told people,’’ Mebust replied. ``We looked at all these things and rejected them. It brings up old issues. If we change the law fundamentally, we have to go back to them (residents). The police committee wanted a broad law to get paid parking started.’’

Katz suggested the possibility of adopting the law now and later addressing some of the other issues in the companion resolution that sets the framework for how paid parking will be implemented.

But Mebust said she believes it is important to pass them together as they originally intended and village attorney John Lambert recommended.

``Or else it’s bait and switch with the public,’’ Mebust said.

``I think we have to not lose sight of the big picture because everyone has their own issue. I think the law can go now,’’ Katz said. ``Doubleday Field is something that can be maximized more than it will be.’’

``We looked at all these issues. Doubleday Field is not as simple as it looks,’’ Mebust said.

Board members decided to make some minor changes to the proposed law which included more specific descriptions of where paid parking will be established and removed the area on Pioneer Street from Lake Street to Otsego Lake. Mebust said it was the only residential area included and there was no good location for a pay and display machine on the block.

The board also approved a change so the law would read that the village ``may establish permit-parking systems for any or all of its paid parking areas.’’

On Tuesday, Trustee Eric Hage, who was not at Thursday’s meeting, attended the police committee meeting with an alternative set of guidelines for the implementation of paid parking.

Hage said he believed his proposal merited waiting another month.

``I think it is extremely important we get it right,’’ Hage told the committee. ``It’s really important to discuss the guidelines further.’’

Hage’s guidelines differ from the original proposal in a number of ways:

° parking permits would be for on-street parking only. Doubleday field and the Chestnut Street lot would be handled separately.

° parking permits would cost $25.

° one-third of all parking revenue would be returned to residents in the form of a tax rebate check issued each January.

° the Main Street entrance to Doubleday Field would be closed off and the lot run by an attendant at the Chestnut Street entrance.

Mebust renewed her argument from Thursday night that any substantive change in the law or guidelines means they should be presented to the public.

``The whole idea was to tell the public what we were doing,’’ she said. ``It’s a question of working with the public.’’

``I’m asking you to take the time and think about what we’re doing here and all the ramifications,’’ Hage said.

Village attorney John Lambert was in the meeting and said when asked by Mebust that he feels very strongly the law and resolution for the guidelines should be presented and voted on together.

``To be fair to the public,’’ he said.

Lambert explained that the law is so general that it makes the guidelines with all the details more important.

``It’s cleaner to do it that way,’’ he said.

Hage continued to ask for time to consider his alternatives and Mebust replied that there isn’t any one, perfect plan.

``We have to pick a road and go down it,’’ she said.

Hage continued to ask for one more month. ``I’m trying to make it better. I don’t feel like we’re there yet. It’s a huge change for the village,’’ he said.

``How long do we go back and forth on this?’’ Mebust asked.

Police committee chairman Paul Kuhn said it seems the board has found a plan that meets the requirements of most people.

``At some point we have to go with something, but I don’t have a problem waiting for a month,’’ Kuhn said.

``I don’t know how one more month is going to give us The Plan,’’ Mebust said.

Police committee members eventually agreed to recommend to the board of trustees that it wait for one month to allow time for a discussion of Hage’s alternative guidelines.

The board will still conduct the public hearing on the parking law at 8:30 p.m. during its meeting Monday night.