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| PARKING AUTHORITY MINUTES |
MARCH 23, 2005
ATTENDANCE: Urban Mulvehill, Chairman; Stephen Bentkover; Burt Shatz; Shahjahan Anowar (7:50 p.m.)
STAFF: Kathryn Hebert, Administrative Manager; Hal Alvord, Director, DPW; Ed Schmidt, Assistant to the Mayor
OTHERS: Frank Del Monaco, LAZ Parking
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Mulevhill called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m.
Railroad Stations
Status Concession RFP
The Authority discussed the RFP.
Mr. Anowar arrived at 7:50 p.m.
APPROVALS/AUTHORIZATIONS
APPROVE THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 23, 2005
** MR. MULVEHILL MOVED TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED
** MOTION PASSED WITH ONE (1) ABSTENTION (MR. SHATZ)
APPROVE THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005-2006
The Authority discussed and made revisions to the proposed operating budget. Mr. Mulvehill asked about paying sales tax and Ms. Hebert said that she will contact the Law Department for an opinion.
Mr. Mulvehill suggested contacting Don Nelson from Clean and Green about obtaining street trees.
In discussing the budget, Mr. Mulvehill said that he would like to see a number under the concessions line in anticipation of making some use of the police substation at the South Norwalk railroad station, when the Police vacate that space.
Mr. Mulvehill asked if anyone from the public wished to talk about the budget. A gentleman, who was not identified, asked if the Maritime Garage deficit was larger in the current year. Mr. Mulvehill said that it was a planned increase. He added that without the garage, people would not be able to drive in South Norwalk.
** MR. SHATZ MOVED THAT IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE BUDGET
IS FLUID AND SUBJECT TO CHANGES ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS THAT HE MOVES TO
ACCEPT THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED AND MODIFIED AND REVIEWED MONTHLY
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
DISCUSSION
LAZ PARKING REPORT
Because of the bad weather, Mr. Del Monaco’s report was not discussed. His report was included in the packet.
SoNo Area
Wall Street Area
On Street Meters
Smart cards (pre-paid meter cards)
Mr. Del Monaco said that the process for the smart cards has been expedited and the language needs to be finalized.
Parking Violation Collections
Parking Enforcement Operation
Website
Commercial Validation Program
Equipment Maintenance Report
STAFF REPORT
Special Capital Appropriation – Webster Parking Lot
Mr. Schmidt presented the reconfiguration plans for the Webster Street Parking Lot. Mayor Knopp wants the booth on Washington Street to be installed as soon as possible. The reconfiguration is contingent upon meeting with neighborhood stakeholders.
Mr. Alvord said that he presented the reconfiguration plans to the members of the SoNo Business Association at their meeting. He said that specific operational conversations will take place with each of the area groups.
** MR. MULVEHILL MOVED TO SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL APPROPRIATION
TO THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND TAXATION FOR $200,000 FOR THE RECONFIGURATION
OF THE WEBSTER STREET PARKING LOT AS OUTLINED BY THE PLANS SUBMITTED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Customer Service/Complaint reporting
Mr. Bentkover said that he hopes that the Police will respond as quickly as the Authority has to unruly kids and panhandlers. Mr. Schmidt said that the Mayor is in contact with the Police and there are a lot of people involved in this issue. Mr. Bentkover said that he is concerned when store owners say that the Police respond to criminal acts in the same amount of time as with non-criminal acts. Mr. Schmidt assured Mr. Bentkover that the Police are working with the SoNo business owners on this issue.
Handicapped spaces
Mr. Alvord reported that the reconfiguration of Webster Street will eliminate a few parking spaces, but will add one handicap space, making the lot ADA compliant. Mr. Schmidt said that in meeting with Crown Theater, they said that they will work with LAZ to set up a system to validate handicap parking in the Maritime Garage.
Citywide Spring Cleanup – Saturday, April 30, 2005
OTHER
Special recognition for Charles Federici, Security Guard – Securitas, at the SoNo Railroad Station for outstanding public service and bravery
Complement from parking customer Sonya White, LAZ employee
Action on any item discussed herein
A member of the public who was not identified wished to speak about the proposed West Avenue parking garage. He questioned the quality of the financial protection of the West Avenue parking garage and said that it sounds like a financial fairy tale. Mr. Schmidt said that nothing has been resolved. Upon completion of the garage, revenue bonds will be issued by the Parking Authority. Retail parking is assumed to be the financial responsibility of the Parking Authority. Ultimately, the economic pro forma for this garage needs to be accurate.
The unidentified gentleman said that in looking at the special revenues, people are being told that the City will get 6 times what they are getting from the Maritime Garage. He said that number is so counterintuitive. When the presentation was made for the Reed Putnam project, the public was told that the revenue from the garage will service all of the debt. He said that what struck him is that a parking garage is a very fixed asset. If the City builds a garage and hands it to LAZ, it will have million dollar problems, with thousand dollar solutions.
There was no further business and the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rosemarie Lombardi
Telesco Secretarial Services
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