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Commission approves ParkMobile and PayByPhone contracts for app‑based parking in Sweetwater
Summary
The commission approved two three‑year agreements to replace aging parking meters with app-based payment via ParkMobile LLC and PayByPhone, citing better resident convenience, analytics and flexible pricing options.
The City of Sweetwater Commission approved two separate three‑year agreements to adopt ParkMobile LLC and PayByPhone as on‑demand parking transaction platforms for city parking zones.
City staff said the change responds to persistent meter malfunctions and resident complaints and will allow drivers to add time remotely, enable dynamic pricing, provide transaction analytics and reduce maintenance of physical meters. “The previous administration purchased these machines very, very expensive, labor intensive for maintenance,” a staff speaker said. Staff described the new system as smartphone-first and said signage would be co‑branded so one sign serves both vendors.
Why it matters: Commissioners described the systems as a solution to broken meters, more customer‑friendly payment options and a tool to manage scarce parking near residential areas and local developments. Staff said the platforms also enable residents to view zone availability in the city’s parking interface and give the city flexibility to change rates by time of day.
Details from the meeting: Staff said ParkMobile’s processing fee is about 2.95% plus $0.22 per transaction while PayByPhone’s is about 3% plus $0.20; staff said both systems provide analytics and that the city can set rates and offer resident discounts. The contracts include revenue‑sharing and transaction‑processing arrangements; staff said they selected both vendors to maximize device compatibility and resident choice. Park enforcement will continue to use the data to identify expired sessions.
Outcome: The commission moved and seconded both resolutions; both passed unanimously. Staff said initial deployment will target roughly five existing public parking zones and additional locations can be added without capital costs for new meters.
