VETERAN'S MEMORIAL PARKING LOT CLOSED TO COURT VISITORS

MADERA - A parking lot behind the Madera County Courthouse Museum dedicated to the fallen United States Military Veterans will no longer be available to the public visiting the new Madera County Superior Courthouse. Wednesday morning security officers from the County of Madera kept three disabled veterans from using the handicap parking while they had business at the new courthouse across the street.

The veterans, one who needed a walker to get around, were threatened with having their vehicles towed if they parked in the once public parking lot. New signs went up last week banning the public from parking in the only parking lot for the Madera County Courthouse Park if they are visiting the new superior court. Thursday afternoon after BVN asked the county administration about the incidents, later that day the Veteran's Memorial Parking lot sign was removed from the parking lot.

The county has plans to convert the use of the once public parking lot to the exclusive use of law enforcement, even though law enforcement has access to the secure basement parking in the parking structure south of the new courthouse. Madera County Chief Administration Officer Eric Fleming has refused to allow his staff to answer any of Big Valley News' questions regarding the Veteran's Memorial Parking.

We asked the administration why three disabled veterans were denied access to the parking lot and Fleming responded with this email, "I understand that you contacted my office regarding concerns over County-managed parking facilities. In order for us to have a better understanding of the specific issue(s) and determine if action is required, we will need for you to put the details in writing through our formal complaint process. You can file that online."

Madera County Supervisor Rick Farinelli told BVN that customers of the courthouse should use the courthouse's parking structure whether they are abled or disabled. "There are plenty of handicap parking spaces available at the courthouse which is operated by the state of California. We need our parking lot for museum employees, law enforcement, and county citizens who utilize our park.", Farinelli added.

A surprising answer from a county supervisor that usually puts the needs of our military veterans first. Farinelli told BVN that we would receive an email from the county administrator with further details of the former Veteran's Memorial Parking lot's new usage policies. What we received was Fleming's email to delay our story we would have published on Friday.

Robert Jeffers, legislative assistant for Supervisor Farinelli, said the Madera County Sheriff's Department requested the additional parking spaces near the new courthouse. He went on to say that the parking was also needed for the Madera County Narcotics Team (MadNET). However Lieutenant Bill Ward, Public Information Officer for the Madera County Sheriff's Department, had no knowledge of such a request for any parking issues. The MadNET team is also in the process of moving to the new sheriff's building near the Madera airport.

Whatever the real reason for Madera County limiting who can utilize this public parking lot that was dedicated to our county veteran's who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country, the fact remains that three men that served our country were threatened and treated with disrespect by the county of Madera on Wednesday. An apology is due to these veterans from the county and the sign that was originally placed to honor these men's sacrifice needs to be replaced immediately.

Farinelli faces re-election in June of 2016. Fleming just received a $30k a year raise so he wouldn't leave the county for a job in Fresno.