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Chair wins council approval to remove parking meters for 60–90 day pilot to avoid $70,000 sensor expense
Summary
The council voted April 13 to remove downtown parking meters and run a 60–90 day pilot to determine whether to invest in parking sensors and a subscription service estimated at about $70,000. City manager Jim said staff will coordinate with State Highway before implementing changes.
The presiding officer moved and the council approved a motion to remove downtown parking meters and run a trial period to assess whether the city needs to invest in parking sensors and the associated subscription service.
Councilors said the pilot is intended to prevent a large, potentially unnecessary expenditure—around “$70,000 plus” as discussed during the meeting—before committing to a new sensor system. City manager Jim recommended putting a motion on the books before physically removing meters and described a proposed pilot window of about 60–90 days to monitor any parking impacts.
The presiding officer said the meters must be removed to implement a new parking system and that staff would first test whether removing the meters exacerbates any parking problems. Jim added the city will continue coordinating with State Highway to obtain required approvals for any permanent system change.
The motion was moved by the presiding officer and seconded by Council member Mead; the council voted in favor. Council did not adopt permanent changes tonight; instead it authorized staff to proceed with the temporary removal and monitoring period. The city manager said he will record the motion and return with findings or recommendations after the pilot period.
