PARKING AUTHORITY
REGULAR MEETING
JANUARY 23, 2008

ATTENDANCE: Stephen Bentkover, Chairman
John Federici, Vice Chairman
Victor Cavallo
Burt Shatz
Joe Santo

STAFF: Hal Alvord, Public Works Director
Kathryn Hebert, Administrative Services Manager
Frank DelMonaco, LAZ Parking
Dilene Byrd, Secretary

OTHERS: Shelly Harvey, ShellMar Consulting


CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Bentkover called the meeting to order at 6:30PM

1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mr. Federici said on Page 4, Item C, Line 26, to change “bee” to “been”
Mr. Federici said on Page 6, Item 7, Line 1, to remove “the”

** CHAIRMAN BENTKOVER MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM WITH CORRECTIONS
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

2. AUTHORIZE A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH BANK AMERICA, N.A. FOR ATM INSTALLATION AT THE SOUTH AND EAST NORWALK RAILROAD STATIONS FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS AND A FEE OF $12,000 FOR THE FIRST YEAR WITH ANNUAL INCREASES OF 3% PER YEAR

Ms. Hebert said that the contract with the Bank of America had expired one year ago. Mr. Bentkover asked if they would be paying the arrears. Ms. Hebert said that they had agreed to do that. She said the transactions at the South Norwalk Railroad Station are way below their normal transactions at any other ATM and that they will be paying to have their ATM at the South Norwalk Railroad Station. She said she is also including that if the Parking Authority decides to put an ATM in the East Norwalk Railroad Station, and/or The Maritime Garage, and if the City decides to put an ATM at City Hall that they can piggyback on that. Mr. Federici asked if this was a renewal of the agreement. Ms. Hebert said that it is. The last agreement they were only paying $500/month or $6000 per year. The new agreement starts at $1,000 per month ($12,000/year) with 3% annual increases for the life of the contract.

** CHAIRMAN BENTKOVER MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM WITH CORRECTIONS
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

3. AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OR THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE PARKING AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE A LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH SHELLMAR CONSULTING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTING SERVICES FOR A SUM NOT TO EXCEED AN ANNUAL FEE OF $6,000
ACCOUNT# OPERATING BUDGET

Ms. Hebert introduced Ms. Shelly Harvey of the ShellMar Consulting Group. Ms. Harvey said she has been in the public relations business for over eleven years and had received her training from one of the top sixty-five public relations firms in the country. Mr. Bentkover said that the press releases and the story pages that will be written each month should be decided on at the Parking Authority meetings. Ms. Hebert said that Ms. Harvey will be working with staff and there are things that may arise that cannot wait a month. Mr. Bentkover agreed but said on generic pieces that the Parking Authority should be deciding what is iterated to the public on general terms. Mr. Alvord said that the intent of this is not to exclude the Board nor is it to religiously produce a press release each month. He said that the timing is going to be geared towards events and information that the Parking Authority feels is important to get out to the parking public. Mr. Bentkover said this also needs to be translated onto the Parking Authority website. Ms. Hebert said the City of Norwalk’s IT department already posted an icon on the Parking Authority website. Mr. Bentkover asked Ms. Harvey if she had a clipping service that follows the press releases. She said that clipping services cost money and that she would be doing her best to track whatever clips there are. Mr. Bentkover said that under the purpose section of the consulting agreement it states that Shell Mar Consulting would be providing consulting services for the City of Norwalk and that needs to be changed to the Parking Authority. Ms. Hebert said this agreement will be translated through the Attorney into a letter of agreement and that all necessary corrections will be made at that time.

** CHAIRMAN BENTKOVER MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM WITH CORRECTIONS
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

4. AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO UPGRADE THE PAY STATIONS AT THE SOUTH NORWALK RAILROAD STATION THROUGH ITS, FOR A SUM NOT TO EXCEED $5,000
ACCOUNT# 0906 4095 5777 C0357

Ms. Hebert said that prior to this the machines at the South Norwalk Railroad Station only accepted credit cards or exact change and that the reason there was not an upgrade to give back change is because it was not financially feasible but that they are now in the position to provide that service. Mr. Bentkover asked who would be maintaining the pay stations. Ms. Hebert said the company would be maintaining them and that the staff of LAZ would be collecting the money from the machines.

** CHAIRMAN BENTKOVER MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

5. MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT

Mr. Bentkover said that under the first quarter variance that there is a 5% increase which appears to be coming from the credit card fees and is substantially higher than what was budgeted for and said that office supplies are doubled as to what was budgeted for. Mr. Bentkover asked if the City had a deal with the credit card companies. Ms. Hebert said “yes” and that the Parking Authority has the same deal which is 1.9%. Mr. Bentkover suggested increasing that line in the next year’s budget request. Ms. Hebert said since there have only been approximetely two snowstorms to date that most of the expenses occur in the spring for spring maintenance.

6. MONTHY OPERATION REPORT

Mr. DelMonaco said that the Maritime Garage continues to be on a downward spiral and that he found it disappointing during Christmas week that they had not attracted the level of attendance that was hoped for. He said that the Webster Lot continues to be down however; revenues continue to be up due to the current operating policies. He said the surface lots continue to be very consistent and that on-street meter revenue continues to do very well which is also a result of parking enforcement efforts. He said that demands at the train stations continue to be consistent and that once the change issuance devices are installed in the pay stations the few complaints that are received would diminish. He said the work on the automated garage doors at the South Norwalk Railroad Station should be completed on or before March 1, 2008 and that he has been working with Securitas Systems on the installation of the new security system and are hoping the work will commence the second week of February 2008, and should be completed a month after they start. He said that the roofing work has begun and that the cupolas on the eastbound side were installed earlier this week. He said that this week that Direct TV would be installed in the westbound lobby at the South Norwalk Railroad Station. He said in the East Norwalk Railroad Station that the goal of three hundred permits has been reached. He said that the demands at the Yankee Doodle Garage continue to be very consistent and that the Isaac Lot continues to decline. He said that the monthly permit sales continue to be on the up swing and that the boot-tow program has had a significance impact on the bottom line numbers.

Ms. Hebert said that the POKO development project would be breaking ground somewhere in the fall of 2008 or the beginning of 2009. Mr. Shatz asked where the project would begin. Ms. Hebert said in the Isaac Lot and that she would be meeting with them in the next month or so to develop a parking plan for the transition during construction. Mr. Shatz asked how many spaces are in the Isaac Lot. Ms. Hebert said there are 278. Mr. Shatz asked if the scope of their work extends to the Garden Cinemas. Mr. Alvord said it does not. Mr. Federici asked if the bank will be having an issue with their drive-thru when work begins. Ms. Hebert said “yes” and that POKO had tried to get the bank to o buy into the project but they had declined the offer. Mr. Bentkover said the in the near future that the Parking Authority will need to create a long term strategy to ensure that affordable parking is available as well as to ensure that the financial success of the Parking Authority continues

7. CAPITAL PROJECTS

Ms. Hebert said that the westbound project at the South Norwalk Railroad Station will be going out to bid this month and includes the outdoor stair towers and some of the drainage work. She said there will be a change order this spring for the Yankee Doodle Garage to do the last of that update. She said that the work on the Haviland Deck would be going out to bid this summer.

Ms. Hebert distributed the final 2008-09 capital budget request to members of the Parking Authority. Mr. Alvord said that out of the three capital budget requests he is confident that Haviland Deck will be recommended and approved and that the Mayor will ensure the work at the South Norwalk Railroad Station but that the Yankee Doodle Garage is at some risk of not being approved. Mr. Bentkover said that the real risk there will be is when construction begins at the Issac Lot and parking cannot be provided with any confidence at the Yankee Doodle Garage because of the structural problems.

8. SOUTH NORWALK RAILROAD STATION- TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

Mr. Alvord said he was on the selection team at the Transit District for selecting a consultant who would be performing the study and Mr. Shulman is working a quickly as possible to get that contract in place.

Ms. Hebert said it was decided that the taxi cabs will be moving out of the east bound side of the South Norwalk Railroad Station to the westbound side along State Street and would be hiring a starter to organize this. Mr. Cavallo asked how this will be enforced. Ms. Hebert said there will be Police Department involvement. She said before this is implemented there will be massive press releases and public education. Mr. Alvord said there will be a letter sent to the owners of the three taxi cab companies signed by Mayor Moccia making it very clear what the requirements and the penalties will be if they refuse to respect them. Mr. Cavallo asked what the penalties will be. Mr. Alvord said they will be fines. Mr. DelMonaco said with the new security system there will also be additional cameras installed that will be able to read license plates. Mr. Bentkover asked if there is a date of implementation. Ms. Hebert said sometime in April/May 2008.

Mr. Alvord said a federal commitment has been received for the shuttle bus and that Ms. Hebert and Mr. DelMonaco would be meeting with Mr. Shulman of the Transit District to develop a plan for implementation by fall of 2008. He said that the leadership of the Maritime Aquarium has stated that with the shuttle bus that the Maritime Garage would fill up and there would not be space available for aquarium attendees. He said that he had spoken with Jennifer Herring of the Maritime Aquarium and their argument is that the Maritime Garage was built for the Maritime Aquarium and space needs to be provided to them at all times. He said he had told her that has been the argument for the past four years and that the attendance at the Maritime Aquarium has dropped off twenty to thirty percent and told her that it is not fiscally responsible for staff to recommend to any Board, the Mayor or legislative body that the Maritime Garage remain empty with the hopes and until such time the Maritime Aquarium increases their customer base when debt service is being paid on $15 million dollars. He told members of the Parking Authority to be prepared to receive phone calls from members of the Board of Trustees of the Maritime Aquarium and or from the Maritime Authority.

Mr. Bentkover said he thought it would be a help to the merchants if the shuttle were routed through Washington Street. Mr. Alvord said that would be looked into when they meet with Mr. Shulman and said the principal goal is to increase the use of the Maritime Garage and provide overall capacity because permits cannot be provided to all the commuters at the South Norwalk Railroad Station and to make it as convenient as possible. He also said they need to be careful as to how many stops are added to the route. Mr. Shatz asked what the hours of operation would be. Mr. Alvord said that would also be determined after meeting with Mr. Shulman. Mr. Federici asked how much the grant was for. Ms. Hebert said it was for $365,000, which includes the purchase of the shuttle and three years of some of the operating costs.

9. OTHER BUSINESS

Ms. Hebert said the meter cards system will be expanded for use in the surface lots and the parking facilities that employ pay stations. Mr. Bentkover asked when this program would begin. Mr. DelMonaco said around May 1, 2008. Ms. Hebert said that Ms. Harvey would be doing a press release on the program. Mr. Federici asked what increments the meter cards could be purchased for. Mr. DelMonaco said that parkers will be able to be purchase the cards in increments from $5 dollars to $50 dollars and could be purchased over the internet with a credit card. Ms. Hebert said that she had met with the property managers of Maritime Yards (Jefferson Properties, Inc.)and they will market the meter cards to anyone who is interested in either buying or leasing and that they would be including it in their packets. Mr. DelMonaco said in the future they would be looking into the cards being used in the garages and Webster Lot.

Mr. Bentkover asked when the agreement with Ms. Harvey will be executed. Ms. Hebert said she would e-mail it to Scott tomorrow. Mr. Bentkover asked if there would be a start date of February 1, 2008. Ms. Hebert said “yes”. Mr. Bentkover said some thing should be put together to give to Ms. Harvey. Mr. DelMonaco said they have some things put together such as press releases for the shelters, and for when the contracts are issued for the repairs at the South Norwalk Railroad Station and for the repairs at Havilland Deck.

Mr. Alvord said regarding the issue of advertising on the shelters that he had a discussion with Mr. Shulman and he had said that he is not making any money on the advertising on the bus shelters. Mr. Cavallo asked is there was a place in the Webster Lot t put up a large billboard to advertise. Mr. Alvord said if a sizeable billboard was installed at the Webster Lot that it would generate a lot of complaints from both the residents and merchants in that area.

10. NEW BUSINESS
No discussion.

11. ACTION ON ANY ITEM DISCUSSED HEREIN
No discussion.

ADJOURNMENT

** CHAIRMAN BENTKOVER MOVED TO ADJOURN
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
The meeting adjourned at 7:52PM