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Council approves ParkMobile contract for downtown paid parking after debate over transaction fees
Summary
After questions about a 40¢ per‑transaction pass‑through and merchant processing fees, council approved a ParkMobile contract to manage paid parking in Anderson Parkway. Staff said ParkMobile offers multi‑access payment options and signage support; some councilmembers urged the city absorb certain fees to preserve the advertised rate.
The Poulsbo City Council on June 3 authorized the mayor to sign a contract with ParkMobile to provide paid‑parking services in downtown Anderson Parkway, approving staff’s recommendation after extended questioning about how user and processing fees will be handled.
Police administrative director Kelly Zeman and finance lead Debbie Boer explained contract terms to council. The contract includes a one‑time per‑transaction pass‑through user fee of $0.40 and a merchant processing component (20¢ plus 3% of a transaction) that staff reported would typically be passed to users. “That 40 cents is a fee we are passing through,” Zeman said. Councilmembers pressed staff on alternatives, asking whether the city could absorb some transaction costs so the advertised hourly price would not be effectively inflated for users. Debbie Boer said the city could negotiate changes before signing but that doing so might delay the launch.
Councilmembers also discussed enforcement (the city will retain current enforcement contractor Laz), signage provisions (a ParkMobile welcome kit will be provided, additional signage would be city cost), expected start timing (staff estimated early July subject to signage installation) and technical access (app, QR, and pay‑by‑phone options). After debate and a roll‑call vote — with a few dissenting votes recorded — the motion to approve the ParkMobile contract passed.
