Marsha Rummel allowed to eat at favorite haunt after making peace
Madison 6th District Alder Marsha A. Rummel was banned on March 9 for a City Council vote the restaurant owner did not agree with.
District 6 Alder Marsha Rummel is once again allowed to eat at New Orleans Take-Out on Fordem Avenue after being banned by its owner on March 9 due to a vote during a City Council meeting earlier this month.
The exile was over her vote to reduce Sherman Avenue to two lanes and install bike lanes in the curb lanes and a center turn lane. The City’s biking community rejoiced but the Northside Business Association was against the move saying its members will lose money.
At the time of the ban, NOTO owner John Roussos emailed Rummel and said, “You will be told to leave. If you do not comply the MPD will be called.” according to the email she shared with the Isthmus.
“I was really sad when I got the email from John Roussos, and he has subsequently unbanned me which makes me very happy. He was very concerned with the proposals for improvements to North Sherman Avenue,” Rummel told Willy Street Blog. “Honestly, every single person at the Council meeting that night voted for those improvements.”
Rummel says her decision was based on several traffic engineering studies as well as national trends and she says the decision opens the street to more users. She also says the City is going to work hard to soften the blow for businesses that are negatively impacted.
“This is our public space and so we want as many people and vehicle types to really use it. I’m very hopeful in the end those businesses will go, ‘Oh that wasn’t so bad’ or hopefully even maybe it helps in some way.”
In a comment thread started by a user on the NOTO Facebook page Roussos posted an apology and several comments later Rummel accepted. As for one of her favorite eateries she is happy to be able to walk into NOTO without fear of arrest.
“I was really thrilled that he unbanned me because I really like the food and I enjoy talking to him and his staff and he’s great and his food is great.”
Related: District 6 Candidate Q & A: Marsha Rummel
Related: District 6 Candidate Q & A: Scott Thornton
Related: Rummel and Thornton Find Little Daylight
Related: Audio: District 6 Candidate Forum
Forum newswrap filed for WORT-FM‘s In Our Back Yard
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