Petoskey downtown leaders order four new pay stations as parking revenue falls and staff vacancy persists

The Petoskey City Downtown Management Board discussed plans to install four new parking pay stations and reported declining meter revenue at its April 15 meeting.

Board members said renovations at the Seville have started and that four pay stations are on order: two will be installed at Seville, one at Petrie and one at Park Garden (near City Park Grill). Board staff reported that the pay-station rollout is intended to increase convenience for visitors and improve downtown parking management.

Staff also shared an operational snapshot showing that the average cash payment at meters last week was 60 cents while the average credit-card transaction was $1.60, a difference staff attributed to longer stays by card users. Board members said overall parking revenue is down compared with expectations, a decline they linked in part to recent storms and related power outages that kept visitors away.

The board noted that Petoskey City Council previously authorized releasing some parking reserves to other funds; board members said that flexibility helps cover shortfalls in the near term. Separately, the downtown program reported a staffing shortage: two part-time downtown staff remain and one employee recently resigned after an adverse interaction with a community member. The board said interviews are scheduled this week and staff hope to fill the vacancy by the end of April or early May.

Board members said they will monitor meter revenue after the new pay stations are activated and continue recruiting for part-time downtown positions.