Committee of the Whole

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE City Hall – Council Chambers February 15, 2021 The Committee of the Whole met at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. on February 15, 2021, with the following Committee persons in attendance: Mayor Robert M. Green, Frank Darrah, Susan deBuhr, Kelly Dunn, Simon Harding, Daryl Kruse (via video conference), Mark Miller, and Dave Sires. Staff members attended from all City Departments as well as members of the community teleconferenced in. Mayor Green called the meeting to order and introduced the only item on the agenda, Request to extend suspension of paid parking in municipal lots. Jennifer Rodenbeck Director of Finance and Business Operations stated at a special Council Meeting on December 9, the council passed a resolution to suspend paid parking in municipal parking lots through April 1, 2021. She reviewed the three options given at that time and the pros and cons with each option. Mayor Green opened it up for council discussion. Ms. Rodenbeck answered questions from the council members and stated the two studies and implementation cost approximately $200,000 and the costs associated with the pay stations is $20,000/year. She said it is unknown if there will be technical issues with the pay station if they sit unused for a year. She explained she didn’t have the cost for removal of the pay stations or if they could get a credit for the pay station machines. She stated the request from Community Main Street is to suspend the paid parking in municipal lots through April 1, 2022. Kim Bear with Community Main Street commented businesses are barely surviving due to the pandemic and confirmed the request in the letter. Ms. Bear stated the parking study was done when there was a parking problem and now there aren’t parking issues with the pandemic. Simon Harding motioned to extend the suspension of paid parking in all municipal parking lots through August 1, 2021. David Sires seconded the motion. Ms. Rodenbeck stated that there was only one month of activity with paid parking and that the parking fund has had a loss, down $200,000 from a $900,000. She explained the loss would continue to deplete the fund balance and would then be covered by the general fund and property taxes. City Administrator Gaines is unaware of any CARES grant funding for covering these costs. Ms. Rodenbeck stated enforcement has continued through all this time. Ms. Rodenbeck stated the parking study came about from a request from Community Main Street for the downtown area and the additional of College Hill area was added. Council member Darrah stated the City has gone to a great expense to implement the parking requirements and it should be enforced once the moratorium is over as it was presented. Mayor Green called the question. Motion passed 6-1. (aye - Darrah, Dunn, Harding, Kruse, Miller, Sires; nay - deBuhr) There being no further business, Frank Darrah moved for adjournment, seconded by Simon Harding. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Green adjourned the meeting at 6:49 p.m. Minutes by Lisa Roeding, Controller/City Treasurer