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Committee reviews OpenGov transparency portal; requests clearer parking fund and occupancy reports
Summary
Committee members saw the finance department's OpenGov transparency portal showing parking-system revenues and expenses, asked staff to refine labels and filters and requested additional occupancy and monthly‑permit usage reports, including a fund net‑position number and garage‑by‑garage no‑show analysis.
The committee reviewed the city's new transparency portal — an OpenGov budgeting and reporting tool the finance department made available on the city website — which now includes automobile parking system revenues, expenses and some garage‑level filters.
Aaron (staff) demonstrated the portal and said it shows year‑over‑year charts, filters by department and (for the parking system) can break out revenues by garage and by payment type (monthly vs. transient). “With this new platform... it has a lot of new functionality that we previously didn't have,” he said.
Committee members welcomed the availability but asked for refinements and clarifications. Michelle Moody and others asked that labels and groupings be reorganized (for example, combining monthly and transient revenue lines under a single garage heading) and requested a clear indication of the reporting cutoff date. Aaron explained the city's fiscal year is July 1–June 30 and that the parking operation moved to city control on Jan. 1, 2024; he said some 2024–25 fiscal numbers are still being finalized.
Members asked staff to add or surface several specific items in the portal or in accompanying reports: an APS (Automobile Parking System) fund net‑position (bank balance) or similar single figure, clearer date ranges for graphs, a garage‑by‑garage occupancy time series (so members can see how capacity changed during Chester garage construction), and a month‑by‑month breakdown of monthly permits versus transient occupancy. Michelle said she would like a report that estimates the “no‑show” rate for monthly pass holders and the committee discussed how monthly passes are not guaranteed to reserve a specific spot.
Several members noted Chester Garage's reported percent‑filled figures were high; staff explained that temporary construction reduced available capacity (Chester's typical 880 spaces were reduced during work) and that the reported percentages reflect the adjusted capacity. Aaron and staff said they will forward the occupancy breakdowns already prepared to committee members and will ask finance about reorganizing labels and surfacing the APS fund position.
Votes at a glance: The committee approved the minutes from Dec. 4 by voice vote; a motion to approve was moved and seconded and carried on an affirmative voice vote (“Aye”). No other formal votes or ordinances were recorded in the transcript excerpt.
Ending: Staff will coordinate with finance to adjust portal labels, add requested filters and supply occupancy and monthly‑permit utilization reports (including the requested no‑show analysis and clarification of reporting dates).
