Auburn council approves new parking deck hardware and outside manager to recapture lost revenue

Auburn City Council on July 8 approved two contracts intended to modernize the Right Street parking deck, replace failing kiosk and gate equipment and outsource day-to-day parking management.

The council authorized an agreement with Flash Parking Incorporated for parking access and revenue control hardware and software in the amount of $147,267.60, and separately approved a management services agreement with LAZ (Laz Parking Georgia LLC) for $8,000 per month plus a nonguaranteed annual incentive fee equal to 10% of gross parking revenue above a $535,000 base. Both contracts have an initial one-year term with options to renew for two additional one-year terms; the LAZ contract includes a 3% annual escalation.

City staff and council members described recurring operational failures with the existing system, including frequent kiosk and exit-gate malfunctions and about 4,000 calls per year to public-safety/nonemergency lines to let patrons out of the deck. "We are trying to curb that. We want them to use the parking garage but we also want them to pay their fair share," Dan (city manager) said when explaining the rationale for new equipment and an outside manager.

Contract terms discussed at the meeting include a 24-month limited warranty on hardware (parts are covered unless damaged by vandalism or misuse) and a software service level that allows Auburn to request fee credits for downtime if response or remediation obligations are not met. Staff described hardware as a one-time capital payment split across milestones (approximately 50% at order, 40% at delivery and 10% on acceptance) and a roughly $600-per-month software licensing fee under the Flash Parking agreement. Renewals discussed at the meeting would affect the monthly licensing fee rather than the one-time equipment payment.

Under the LAZ agreement, the company will maintain the installed hardware and software and is expected to respond on-site when necessary, reboot systems, and handle routine troubleshooting; LAZ will replace parts under the 24-month warranty and bill the city for parts and vandalism-related replacements after the warranty period. Staff said a "care kit" of spare parts will be kept on-site at the Right Street deck lower level for use by LAZ or, if LAZ is not contracted, trained city staff.

Councilmember Warman framed the move as an effort to recapture revenue and reduce staff time spent on operational work, particularly on game days. Staff noted that although the garage generates revenue that helps cover costs, the facility also carries debt-service obligations that were not intended to be covered entirely by user fees.

The two items were pulled from the consent agenda for discussion and were approved on voice votes. Councilmembers also said they intend to revisit both contracts prior to exercising any renewal options.

The council packet and staff remarks noted that the new equipment is compatible with ParkMobile and can be configured for QR or phone-based entry in the future, though the initial implementation will use the kiosk workflow described in the contract.