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Council approves downtown parking management contract with Ace Parking after councilors press for outreach and cost details
Summary
The council voted 6–1 to award a one‑year contract (with up to five one‑year renewal options) to Ace Parking 3 LLC to manage downtown on‑street parking and a mobile payment system; the initial term cost was capped at $285,950 and the contractor will staff two enforcement ambassadors and run a six‑month consulting/implementation period.
The Midland City Council on March 18 approved a contract to outsource downtown parking management and a mobile payment application to Ace Parking 3 LLC by a 6–1 vote.
What the contract covers: Staff described a two‑phase program. The first six months are a consulting/implementation period to inventory on‑street spaces, recommend hourly rates and time limits, conduct stakeholder outreach with downtown businesses and property owners, and install a mobile payment solution (QR‑based payments and app). The initial contract term is one year with up to five one‑year renewal options; the first‑year cost was capped at $285,950.
Enforcement and operations: The vendor will hire two on‑site personnel (described as “ambassadors”) to handle enforcement, education and outreach during the launch period; staff said enforcement would be customer‑service oriented at first, with warnings used during the early rollout and citations and municipal‑court follow‑up for unpaid violations after procedures are established. The contract emphasized signage and QR payment rather than individual parking meters to reduce visual clutter and maintenance costs.
Council debate and concerns: Council member Holder asked whether the city could run the system internally and whether the program would be self‑funding. Elizabeth Triggs, planning and development officer, said downtown businesses had requested turnover and that Ace Parking brings experience from other Texas cities. Triggs said the goal is a self‑sustaining program and staff will return to council during the consulting period if substantial changes are recommended. Pricing had not been set; staff said comparable cities often charge about $1 per hour as a benchmark but that the vendor would provide a formal proposal during the consulting phase.
Vote and next steps: Council approved the contract 6–1. Staff said they will return with a recommended inventory map and implementation plan after the vendor’s consulting phase and will engage downtown stakeholders on rates, hours and garage coordination.
