Committee of the Whole Meeting

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES City Hall, 220 Clay Street June 16, 2025 The meeting of the Committee of the Whole met at City Hall at 5:45 p.m. on June 16, 2025, with the following Committee persons in attendance: Gil Schultz, Chris Latta, Daryl Kruse, Aaron Hawbaker, Dustin Ganfield, and Hannah Crisman, Kelly Dunn. Staff members from all City Departments and members of the community attended in person. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE: Mayor Laudick called the meeting to order and introduced the only item on the Agenda, Downtown Parking Discussions. Mayor introduced Administrative and Parking Supervisor Marcie Breitbach. Mayor stated this is a follow-up to meetings on July 15, 2024 and May 19, 2025. Breitbach presented information regarding increases in parking citation fees from $10 to $25, and continuing the $5 late fee for past due 30 days (per Iowa Code); and lot permits fee increases: option 1, increase from $35/month to $50/month beginning January 1, 2026 and to $70 January 1, 2027; option 2 increase from $35/month to $70/month beginning January 1, 2026. Breitbach provided information on fee increase effects to the parking fund with all options. Breitbach requested a motion for Council to direct staff to increase parking citation and permit fees as approved in updated ordinances and fee schedules for Council approval. Mayor opened for Council discussion. Councilmembers, staff, and Mayor discussed: processing company fees including credit card processing, parking budget deficit, what the parking fund covers, and price increase effects; boot and tow fees, payment of citations prior to tow companies releasing vehicles; the potential to increase boot fees; the number of parking permits purchased and City advertising of lot permit availability; collection of past due citation fees and options for collection; and towing payment process with open citations. Crisman moved to direct staff to increase City-wide parking citation fee and increase monthly parking permit fees incrementally for FY26 and FY27 as recommended and bring updated ordinances and fee schedules to Council for approval; Ganfield seconded. Mayor opened for Council discussion. Councilmembers and staff discussed permit fee increases and future permit purchases; and an incremental increase for subsequent boots for a registered owner. There being no public comment and no further Council discussion, Mayor called for a voice vote on the motion. Aye: Schultz, Latta, Kruse, Hawbaker, Ganfield, Crisman, and Dunn; Nay: none. Motion carried unanimously. Breitbach referenced the parking consultant company, Fishbeck’s, proposed metrics for parking counts after input from all meetings and recommendations based on occupancy. Mayor opened for Council discussion. Councilmembers and staff discussed: spots in the US Bank parking lot added into count; customers parking and walking further from timed or paid spots; Main Street time restrictions; and use of AI with current 4K cameras to time parking versus patrolling an area. Breitbach added that there is LPR equipment that could be put into the parking vehicles but due to cost, the City is not currently looking into this, and could have IT look into camera system. Breitbach presented recommendations after reviewing input from all previous meetings including: revised map of proposed paid parking areas; current timed parking and enforcement hours; proposal to remove timed parking and implement paid parking on certain streets as well as downtown municipal lots, installation of parking kisosks and signage, continuation of free parking in certain areas; paid parking will be available at the kiosks and by app, and monthly parking permits will remain available in downtown municipal lots; proposed enforcement hours; continuation of 48-hour ordinance; parking citation forgiveness program; payment for lot closures for events; proposed parking signage and placement. Breitbach stated if paid parking is implemented, next steps include: RFP for kiosks; City ordinance and fee schedule updates; public information session and “how-to” videos; and resuming the Parking Committee with Community Main Street. Mayor opened for Council discussion. Councilmembers, Mayor, and staff discussed: how to track the proposed first free hour; current and proposed enforcement hours; number of kiosks and using the app; plans for the train track and parking; and citation pricing for 15 minute parking and ADA parking. Mayor opened for public discussion. Brent Johnson, Cedar Falls, spoke in favor of the purchase of and proposed lot at the US Bank location; waiting on implementing paid parking until results are seen from the change in citation and permit fees; daytime v. nighttime parking downtown; potential for employee parking pricing and a discount nighttime permit fee. Mayor opens for further Council discussion. Councilmembers, Mayor and staff discussed: daytime v. nighttime paid parking; downtown employee parking; employee safety walking to vehicle after dark and being escorted by Public Safety. Meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m. Minutes by Katie Terhune, Administrative Supervisor