The 70 pay-parking machines in Midland’s downtown will soon be removed, with a newly-created ad-hoc parking committee to decide what happens next.
Council flip-flopped in confusion during last night’s regular meeting as the town’s troubled paid parking program was finally dealt with.
Originally brought forward in a September report that was deferred for a month, one staff option to deal with the $575,000 machines was to eliminate the program at a loss of disposal with some money returned on sale of the used kiosks. Staff recommended three other options than the elimination of the paid parking program.
In October, Mayor Bill Gordon successfully swayed enough council members to vote for his amendment which would scrap paid parking at a loss and deal with the fallout.
During last night’s meeting, staff presented a report following council’s direction stating the town could get $103,000 back from selling the machines but at a $414,500 loss after removing them and repairing downtown streets. As paid parking could be implemented at the Pete Pettersen Park boat launch, Bayshore Dr. and the harbourfront, staff recommended 20 machines remain at those locations until future discussion.
Coun. Sheldon East was the most surprised and vocal on the matter.
“I don’t recall us ever having a discussion or passing a motion to yank out these 50 units,” said East to the agreeing nods of several council members. “I never agreed with it, first of all. Pulling the machines would be a huge mistake.”
East pointed out that half of revenue earned from paid parking was coin-based and suggested the machines could be reprogrammed to a pay-by-coin system for users who wanted to pay but who couldn’t navigate the kiosk instructions. He also asserted that the town had not engaged in any education on kiosk usage, which Gordon firmly denied.
“We have voted to terminate paid parking. We are now dealing with the mechanics of what to do with the machines in this motion,” Gordon reiterated.
He later added: “We agreed to gas the system, and that’s what everyone’s been told, and staff have been working under that assumption. If the intent is to walk back this and somehow redeploy these things again as the same animal and hope for a different outcome – that’s almost the definition of insanity.”
As the motion dealt with four individual portions, the 80-minute discussion involved several councillors not knowing what they were voting for-or-against, with Gordon and staff having to direct if a yay or nay would allow them to get to their decision.
Council called for a recorded vote on keeping 20 machines but disposing of 50, which was defeated 6-2 with Coun. Downer abstaining; the result meant Midland kept all 70 paid parking kiosks.
Next, council approved preparing the terms of reference for a new ad-hoc parking committee consisting of two council members, two BIA members, a member of the public, and two staff members.
The recommendation to retain the earlier 20 meters was defeated by council, with the understanding that the ad-hoc committee would present balanced options to council at a future date.
Likewise, council defeated a recommendation to implement a specific downtown-only levy on commercial and mixed-use properties.
Coun. Beth Prost asked staff for clarification, whether businesses would pay a 50 per cent parking levy as well as their regular taxes in addition to a 50 per cent parking tax, which CFO Lindsay Barron admitted: “Effectively, yes.”
Prost replied: “I would never support putting them on that at all.”
Due to council’s decisions, Barron informed council that the budget requirement of $407,000 listed in the staff report had increased to $486,000, and would be addressed as such in the upcoming release of the draft budget.
The implementation of parking program recommendations report is available in full in the council agenda on the town of Midland website.
Council meetings are held every third Wednesday, and can be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53 when available, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.
