REGULAR MEETING
MAY 28, 2008

ATTENDANCE: John Federici, Vice Chairman
Victor Cavallo
Burt Shatz
Julius Hayward

STAFF: Kathryn Hebert, Administrative Services Manager
Hal Alvord, Public Works Director
Brian Sweeney, Public Works Structural Engineer
Dilene Byrd, Secretary

OTHERS: Frank DelMonaco, LAZ Parking

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Executive session began at 6:30PM
Executive session ended at 6:40PM

CALL TO ORDER

Vice Chairman Federici called the meeting to order at 6:40PM

1. APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE PARKING AUTHORITY MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY APRIL, 23, 2008

** MR. CAVALLO MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

2. AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO UPGRADE THE SECURITY SYSTEM AT THE SOUTH NORWALK RAILROAD STATION FROM SECURITAS SYSTEMS ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE FOR A SUM NOT TO EXCEED $22,970.

Ms. Hebert said this is to expand the security system on the westbound side of the South Norwalk Railroad Station and that there are funds left over from the Homeland Security grant. Mr. Santo asked why their proposal excludes paint and patching if they cause the damage. Mr. DelMonaco said that where the cameras are being installed there will be no painting or patching required. Mr. Hayward asked if the current security system has caught any security breachers. Mr. DelMonaco said “no” and that the security system digitally records everything primarily for investigative purposes in the event something does occur and that the security system will also be recording the taxi’s and will give the opportunity to see what the taxi’s are doing when the starter is not present and if illegal activity is seen the camera has the ability to zoom into the license plate.

**MR. SANTO MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

3. AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE PARKING AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH BE AND E THEATRES, LLC TO EXTEND THE EXISTING AGREEMENT FOR 5 YEARS THROUGH NOVEMBER 1, 2012 IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXISTING PARKING PLAN

Ms. Hebert said that this item was tabled last month and that BE and E Theatres is now willing to extend the existing contract for 5 years as is.

** MR. HAYWARD MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

4. MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT

Ms. Hebert said that through April there is a net cash of $614,577 and that approximately $750,000 needs to be put into a restricted operating account for the debt service on the Maritime Garage which is part of the insurance requirement. She said any net revenues that are received will be put into the capital reserve account so that not as much will need to be bonded or have such a high debt service on future projects.

5. MONTHY OPERATING REPORT

Mr. DelMonaco said that the demands at the Maritime Garage were down 5% in April. Ms. Hebert said that she and Mr. Alvord are scheduled to meet with representatives of the Maritime Aquarium on May 29, 2008, regarding parking issues at the Maritime Garage. She said that the Maritime Aquarium is doing a $50 million dollar expansion and they are projecting a 13% increase in their attendance this summer based on the 13% increase in marketing expenses. She said that she will continue to meet with them and suggest if the trends are increasing that their employees should be parking elsewhere because parking is free for them. Mr. Hayward asked if the employee parking spaces at the Maritime Garage are assigned spaces for them. Ms. Hebert said “no” and that it is on a first come first serve basis. She said that their daily average use for employees is 55 per day and said that they still have access cards for approximately 400 employees. Mr. Alvord said that they have far more access cards than they need and at the last meeting that was held Ms. Hebert purposed to turn off all the access cards at the end of May and reissue them to current employees. Mr. Federici asked if the cards will be turned off at the end of May. Mr. Alvord said “no” but it will be on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting. Mr. Hayward asked if there is a list of who the access cards were issued to. Mr. Alvord said “yes” but said he does not think the list has been updated in a very long time. Mr. DelMonaco said that on April 24, 2008 the Maritime Aquarium held their red apple fundraiser and it was well attended and that they had parked approximately 350 cars in the Maritime Garage. He said on May 8-10th that a fashion show was hosted on the roof of the Maritime Garage and was also well attended. He said that the demands at the Webster Lot are down but remain consistent and that the North Water Lot is up 11% and Haviland Deck is up 19% of where it was last year. He said that the on-street revenues continue to be significantly higher not only to date but also comparing to the last 3 year average. He said the he is still waiting for Parkeon with the meter cards and that he will be attending a conference next week and will have the opportunity to express his disappointment To Parkeon officials directly. He said that the demands at the South Norwalk Railroad Station continue to be consistent. Ms. Hebert said they are still moving ahead for a roll out date of September or October 2008, for the shuttle and would be meeting with Mr. Schulman this summer to discuss the details of the operation and following that meeting would be coming to Parking Authority for approval of the rate schedule. Mr. Shatz asked what the hours of operation will be for the shuttle. Ms. Hebert said it will be operated during the peak AM and PM hours and will run between the Maritime Garage and the South Norwalk Railroad Station. Mr. DelMonaco said that the bike racks have now been installed at both the East Norwalk and South Norwalk Railroad Stations. He said that the demands at the Yankee Doodle Garage are up 3% and that the demands at the Isaac Street Lot continue to decline. He said that permit sales continue to be up 12% and that parking enforcement efforts continue to produce significant revenue. He said that all of his staff has completed the revised customer service training. Mr. DelMonaco said he is working with New England Energy Management and has received proposals for alternative utility arrangements that could potentially save significant dollars.

6. CAPITAL PROJECTS

Mr. Sweeney said that the upgrades to the eastbound side of the South Norwalk Railroad Station will go out to bid at the end of next week and will receive the bids back by July 2, 2008. He said that Mr. Cavello is in the process of doing the design for the westbound side of the South Norwalk Railroad Station and that he would be meeting with All Phase Construction regarding the work on the doors.

Mr. Sweeney said that he is hoping the have a bid package out and receive bids back and start construction by August for the repairs to Haviland Deck. Ms. Hebert distributed an e-mail that she had received from Desman Associates stating their concerns on starting the repairs later in the year. Mr. Sweeney said that when applying membranes it is very weather dependant. Mr. Federici said they were trying to avoid performing the repairs on Haviland Deck during the SONO Arts Festival. Mr. Alvord said that the weather that is needed to perform the construction in the quickest possible manner that there is no ideal part of the year to perform the repairs. Mr. Federici asked if it would be feasible to start the construction on August 4, 2008 which is after the SONO Arts Festival. Mr. Sweeney said “yes” and that it should be completed by early November. Mr. Alvord said that if the public relations and publicity is done in an effective manner leading up to the construction there should be almost no impact to the area. He said it would be better to do that then to try and have start dates around various activities because there will never be an ideal time. Ms. Hebert said she has spoken to Mr. Sheehan regarding the Tarragon Property which is located at the Norwalk Company and that they have approximately 60 spaces available and Mr. Sheehan would be contacting them to see if during construction that people would be able to park there. Mr. Santo also suggested the empty lot across from Lillian August also be used for alternate parking during construction. Ms. Hebert said she would inquire about that with Mr. Sheehan. Mr. Alvord said that if the Tarragon Property is an option that alternative parking be offered to the permit parkers. Mr. Federici asked when the bid package will go out. Mr. Sweeney said by June 10, 2008 and will receive them back by July 9, 2008, and possibly have a contract and a notice to proceed by early August.

Mr. Sweeney said that a change order was going to be issued to Merritt Construction for $134,000 for the patching inside the Yankee Doodle Garage and when he had asked them to provide a price per square foot which had come back extremely high and he has scheduled a meeting with them on May 30, 2008 to ask them to have another subcontractor submit a price. He said if that also comes back too high that the $134,000 for the repairs at the Yankee Doodle Garage would be added to the Haviland Deck project because that is the same type on contractor and much better pricing will be received.

Ms. Hebert said she will be receiving bids for the Customer Service Center inside the Maritime Garage.

7. OTHER BUSINESS

Mr. Federici said that the management audit for the Parking Authority is out to bid and it has been narrowed down to 2 companies and that interviews are scheduled for May 29, 2008.

8. NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Alvord said that he wanted to make the members of the Parking Authority aware that the owner of Nagoya Restaurant has written a letter to all members of the Common Council and the Mayor stating that there business is dying off due to the fact that there is no validating after 6:00PM at the Webster Lot.

9. ACTION ON ANY ITEM DISCUSSED HEREIN
No discussion.

10. ADJOURNMENT

** MR. SANTO MOVED TO ADJOURN
** MOTION PASSED UNANIOUMSLY
The meeting adjourned at 8:10PM