Council Postpones Decision on Awarding Pay Parking System
Monday, July 22, 2013 @ 7:26 PM
Prince George, B.C. – No decision tonight on awarding the contract for a new parking system in downtown Prince George.
In a split vote, Council voted in favour of postponing the decision until September 23rd to allow for consultation with some of the key stakeholders. “There are stakeholders who say they have ideas on how to handle parking and I want to hear those ideas” said Councillor Lyn Hall.
City council had voted last year to return pay parking to the downtown core, and spent nearly a year doing research and developing an RFP for a system.
Mayor Shari Green says she understands why people like the current parking system in downtown Prince George “People like things that are free.” And while she says returning to pay parking is a challenge, she wished the free parking system had worked, but it did not .
Tonight, Council was called upon to approve awarding the contract to Aparc Systems. The purchase and installation would cost some $1.24 million dollars.
“This is not your grandpa’s pay parking” says the Mayor. It is new technology that will see drivers register their licence plate at a central kiosk, and while the person paid a dollar for an hour, the system can be geared to allow that registration to remain valid within a certain zone, so in effect you can move from one space to another within the “zone” without having to repay during that “hour”.
City staff says the free parking in downtown Prince George cost the City $120,000 in lost revenue last year.
Councillor Dave Wilbur called those who abused the free parking system “freeloaders” and said the revitalization of downtown relies on the viability of small businesses and “freeloaders” are an obstacle to that success. According to Wilbur, the people he has spoken to say they wouldn’t stop coming to downtown Prince George, that “a dollar an hour is not a problem .” Wilbur says Council can “be courageous today and sticking to our guns and returning to pay parking.”
Last year, the downtown businesses paid $720,000 into the Downtown Off Street Parking in addition to the funds they are required to pay into the City’s coffers for the Downtown Business Improvement Area .
Councillor Brian Skakun says the people he has been talking to say the dollar an hour is too much, and he cannot support approving the procurement of the equipment.
Councillor Albert Koehler agrees that $1 dollar an hour is a lot, but while he is still troubled by this, he supports it.
Manager of Bylaw Services Guy Gusdal says the new system could generate $350 thousand a year “That is a conservative estimate” says Gusdal.
Councillor Frank Everitt says the move back to pay parking is significant “I think we need look at is about balance” He says the City has struggled with downtown revitalization for years, and making a decision to return pay parking to the downtown “ will drive people out of the downtown to where they can shop without having to pay.”
Councillor Garth Frizzell says the free parking was not a failure, that businesses reported a 14% increase when the meters were removed. "That is not a failure, that is a success story" says Frizzell. Noting that there were members of the DBIA in the gallery, he hoped his Council colleagues would allow the DBIA to step forward and answer Council questions and speak to the matter. That resolution required unanimous support, the Mayor made it clear she would not support that resolution. Mayor Green, Councillors Stolz, Wilbur and Koehler opposed allowing the DBIA to speak.
Instead, Councillor Hall put forth the motion for a postponement to allow for further discussion with key stakeholders. Councillors Stolz, Wilbur and the Mayor, opposed the postponement, while Everitt, Skakun, Krause, Hall, Frizzell and Koehler approved the postponement.
Council has also asked staff to come back with a more detailed report on the costs associated with downtown on street parking. There will be a Committee of the Whole meeting that would allow for delegation presentations.
Comments
Spend your way out of debt.. financing 101 and 1/2.
Green, do you have a clue? Do you know how a city runs? Do you know what a city needs to survive.
NO you don’t
But you have proven that if you spend enough money you can get voted in and ruin a city,,bravo to you
Make a note of those who OPPOSED this motion to postpone:
Our Mayorette
Councillor Wilbur
Councillor Stoltz.
Remember those names next election.
Green: “It is new technology that will see drivers register their licence plate at a central kiosk,…”
Too much trouble, especially in the winter time with slippery slanted non-sanded sidewalks. I will avoid this whenever I can. Register my plate so that yet another system can gather information on my personal habits and whereabouts? I don’t have to register my plate at the hospital or at the airport or any other parking lot! Is this for real?
Koehler says he is troubled by the $1 an hour but supports it.He opposes the DBIA to speak but supports the postponement. Come on Koehler. Have some b…. Stop sitting on the fence. It looks like the other councilors are finally going against Green, Stolz and Wilbur. Finally.
two questions:
1 – When and why did the potential lost revenue jump from $80k to 120k?
2 – Why would the Mayor oppose letting the DBIA speak? Wouldnt this kind of issue be one of the reasons we have a DBIA?
First we have the revenue that is going to be lost at $80 thousand. Then its $120 thousand, then it was $200+ thousand. Now Gusdal is saying the new system will generate a minimum of $350 thousand? What are the true figures, or does anybody really know? And why are you spending $1.24 million on a parking system in the first place?
Also, there are members of council who thought it well and fine to use the democratic system to get elected who now, on every issue, deny the people of this city the freedom and RIGHT to speak under that same democratic system.
As Starling would say: “Your anagrams are showing, Doctor.”
Spend 1.25 million to recover $300,000/year. Sounds like a real smart idea. Unfortunately there won’t be any business once it’s instituted so it will be more like $150,000/year. It will take over 10 years to pay it self off.
Please postpone until election time. At least I know who supported this initiative and who I won’t be voting for.
Technically the City is borrowing over a million dollars for this parking fiasco internally.
In my opinion they are borrowing internally to avoid a referendum, or an Alternative Approval Process, which they would lose in a New York minute.
Soooo, as mentioned above where is the democracy. The Charter allows us a referendum or an AAP when the City borrows from private interests, or from the Municipal Lending Authority, so the City borrows internally to beat the system.
These types of things do not happen by accident. The Mayor and some Councillors, and City Administration would have had to have discussions to come to the agreement that they would borrow internally.
In other words they are on the payroll, being paid by tax dollars, and working late into the night to ensure that those people who pay their salaries, do not get a say on how they spend our money.
The Mayor suggests that there are other ways to get downtown if you don’t want to pay for parking. Ie; take a bus. You will notice that neither the Mayor, or any Councillors take public transit and you will also note that they get free parking.
What’s good for the Goose is good for the Gander.
Seems the Mayor and some Councillors spend most of their time finding ways to p..s off the people of Prince George.
If paid parking is such a great idea, then why doesn’t the City charge City employees for their offstreet parking?
According to Stolz, people want paid parking.
Give me a break.
Next order of business; have a special in-camera meeting to vote on the downtown parking issue. Make public the result but not the specifics on who votes for or against the issue.
Would still love to know who voted for and against the sale of the Pine Valley Golf Course.
CNC has had paid parking for students and staff for some 20 years.
Staff rates for 24 Hours 7 Days is $36.75 per month taxes included.
So why would the college charge staff for parking and city staff do not have to pay … or do they?
How about paid parking for library patrons? How about for users of the pools, soccer fields, art gallery, civic centre, colisseum?
After all, the same as CNC, the idea is to reduce the cars, avoid having to construct parkades or acquire more land for surface parking, and be “green” …… hmm .. that is kind of appropriate … LOL
Mayor Green’s quote – “People like things that are free.” – Is totally out of line and offensive to the good citizens of Prince George. I for one do not go downtown for business because the parking is free, but I will avoid downtown if I have to pay for parking and in turn worry if I’ll get a hefty fine because I exceeded my paid time. In other words paid parking is just a hassle, that I don’t need….it’s not about the money…its about one more thing to worry about if I’m to enter the hallowed halls of downtown.
Further more Mayor Green, people don’t need to come downtown to do commerce. From College Heights down to Mr. PG then north to the Hart Bridge there are dozens of stores and restaurants, banks, etc. etc. with free parking!
Nothing is for free Mayor Green. Somebody pays for everything. The majority of the taxpayers in the city do not support your proposal to re-introduce pay parking in the downtown.
So, Guess what? You will be looking for a new job come the next election. As well as Alderman Stolz, Wilbur and Koheler. This is a very simple issue that could cost you your jobs.
I will do my part to influence the 500 family’s who ask me for my opinion. I will suggest that you consider other occupations.
You don’t listen and you really don’t know how to manage this city. I am very discouraged at the direction you are taking. Spending 1.24 Million to save how much?
Are you fricking kidding me…..spend time in one zone and not have to worry about a repayment in another. How the hell big of a city does ms. kermit think she is running here, and we are waiting on this technology. I never went downtown before nor will I ever set foot anywhere near it….there is no reason. Banks, better shopping, restaurants all have freeparking elsewhere, even in Quesnel. It truly must not easy being “Green”.
willyj. You should come downtown for the Farmers Market if nothing else. Nice to walk about a chat with friends while picking up some fresh vegetables.
Of course if they bring in paid parking you will have to be sure to get the hell out of there within the hour or get a stiff fine.
Have a nice day.
Cheetos: “Mayor Green’s quote – “People like things that are free.” – Is totally out of line and offensive to the good citizens of Prince George.”
Why, because it’s the truth?
Consider the context JB and you’ll get your answer..
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