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Trustees debate keeping 15-minute free ParkMobile sessions as staff say fees reduce revenue by about $18,000
Summary
Dobbs Ferry trustees reviewed three options for the ParkMobile 15-minute "quick stop" session: retain it (absorbing roughly $18,000 in transaction fees), eliminate it (drivers pay 25 cents plus a 40-cent ParkMobile fee), or a hybrid where kiosk users keep free minutes. Trustees emphasized user experience and merchant benefit in resisting immediate change.
Trustees discussed ParkMobile—s 15-minute "quick stop" option and its budget implications at the March 10 workshop. Staff explained the app charges a 40-cent per-transaction processing fee; the village currently absorbs that fee for short sessions, and staff estimated the net cost to the village at roughly $18,000 annually if usage levels remain steady.
Board members outlined three policy options: (1) keep the status quo and continue to absorb ParkMobile—s 40-cent transaction fee for 15-minute sessions; (2) eliminate the free 15-minute session so app users would pay both the 25-cent parking increment and the 40-cent ParkMobile fee (about 65 cents total for a 15-minute session); or (3) adopt a hybrid that preserves free 15 minutes at physical kiosks while app users incur the transaction fee. Trustees noted that kiosk payments bypass the ParkMobile transaction fee, which is why the hybrid would reduce but not eliminate the village—s fiscal exposure.
Several trustees emphasized user experience and merchant benefits tied to short downtown visits, arguing that the 15-minute option reduces friction for quick errands and helps local businesses. Others pushed back on budget impacts and fairness, asking whether the fee represents a "gift" to app users and whether neighboring towns negotiated different ParkMobile terms. Staff said ParkMobile representatives told the village the 40-cent fee is non-negotiable for new contracts, though legacy agreements (older towns that joined the service earlier) can have different terms.
Trustees did not adopt an immediate change; they agreed to ask staff to confirm contract details with ParkMobile and to bring further information back to the board. The discussion flagged the item as related to a broader parking and downtown metering review planned later this year.
