Township withholds Valet Manager payments as software issues persist; staff weighing alternatives

Township staff told the commission they have withheld payment on two monthly invoices from the vendor identified in the packet as Valet Manager because unresolved software issues are causing operational problems and suspected lost revenue.

Derek Field said the township is withholding the monthly fees (staff discussed figures in the $17,000–$19,000 range) until Valet Manager addresses problems that affect gate behavior, account balances and the reports staff need for daily operations. Theresa McLaughlin confirmed the township’s attorney has been contacted to review the service agreement and vendor responsibilities.

Maureen, the bridge operator, told commissioners that day-to-day operations are otherwise running smoothly but that booth attendants lack some of the monitoring information that would help them resolve stuck transactions and identify customers at the booth. Staff said the vendor has been given diagrams and configuration requests but that progress has been slow since implementation; some fixes have been addressed while other items remain outstanding.

Commissioners discussed pursuing a parallel path to identify alternative software vendors, noting that replacing or migrating the system could be timed to avoid peak traffic or bridge closures. No vendor switch was approved at the meeting; staff said they will continue pressing Valet Manager for fixes while exploring options if the vendor cannot meet the township’s needs.