The Common Council voted Monday in a super majority to institute a separate parking department for the City of Middletown. The new department was the topic of five resolutions, all of which passed in votes of 10-2.
The new authority will manage all municipal parking in the city.
Parking study member Jennifer Alexander explained that the revenue raised by streamlining and improving parking downtown will offset any costs for the new department.
Because this is the creation of a new city department, the Common Council must vote a second time within 90 days, with a super majority (9 council votes), to institute the new Parking Authority.
why in the hell is the council making a new department when they have asked that unions reduce their spending and salaries>??? is the council giving up their yearly stipend to pay these people> i think not-
ReplyDeleteThe financial intent of this new department is to be "revenue neutral" to the current Parking operation. Current revenue from parking returns about $450K to the City's general fund and that amount is to be preserved, with an index, as part of the plan. The new $70K position is mainly to be funded by not filling the retired Head Clerk's position which was $46K I believe.
ReplyDeleteI voted against starting up the Parking Department because it does not seem to have been tested enough to insure that it will work. Everybody wants it to work but there has been no critical "walk through" to insure this addition to the Bureaucracy will accomplish that aim. We only have this vague hope that we will bring this "right guy" who will solve the parking ills.
Last night, I only saw another "Deus ex Machina" in the ongoing City Passion Play. Several Council members were more than willing to make changes on the fly to this "carefully crafted and vetted" Ordinance. We are playing with your money - will you hold us accountable?