Fiscal Note
No expenditure required.
Title
Authorizing the City Traffic Engineer and Parking Manager (or designee) to enter into "Coupon Agreements" and other agreements with individuals, businesses and organizations to allow alternative payment methods for parking in City Parking Facilities.
Body
WHEREAS, for many years, the Parking Utility has made agreements with individuals, downtown businesses and organizations to allow payment for parking using "coupons" or other alternative payment methods; and
WHEREAS, under the "coupon" type agreements, the Parking Utility issues "parking coupons" to an individual, business or organization for distribution to its customers or other persons for whom they wish to pay for parking, and those persons can use their coupon to pay for parking in a Parking Utility facility; and
WHEREAS, the coupons are either for the full cost of parking or a specific dollar amount ($1, $2, etc.); and
WHEREAS, the Parking Utility records the use of all coupons, the party who made the agreement is invoiced and pays the actual cost (or coupon dollar value) for each vehicle that parks with one of their coupons, plus an administrative fee; and
WHEREAS, under another variation of this agreement, the Parking Utility agrees to open daytime permit-only or reserved areas at night for a business or organization, the business or organization pays the current special event rate plus an administrative fee for their patrons, and if there is any space left, the Parking Utility allows other vehicles to park in this area at the special event rate, thereby earning revenue that would not otherwise be made within these reserved areas; and
WHEREAS, each of these arrangements is made through a written Agreement with the individual, business or organization; and
WHEREAS, these Agreements are not the same as the long-term leases of parking spaces that must go through the TPC and Common Council approval process and meet the 10% maximum capacity requirement; and
WHEREAS, the Parking Utility is willing to continue to provide the Coupon Agreements to interested individuals, businesses and organizations ("Customers") as long as all of the following conditions are met:
· Customers must pay the same TPC-approved rate as other customers for the same service
· When the rates change for other customers, it changes for customers with an Agreement under this Resolution
· Parking Utility may establish minimum standards for eligibility
· The Agreement does not guarantee a parking space to the coupon-holder, parking is on a space-available-basis only
· No cash refunds on coupons
· Parking Utility may specify an expiration date for the coupons
· Coupons have no value other than to be redeemed as described in the agreement
· Customers must pay a minimum 10% handling fee to reimburse the Parking Utility for additional costs of administering the coupon program
· Customers must pay all invoices within 30 days of issuance
· The Agreements may be for a term not to exceed 4 years, plus 1 automatic renewal term of up to four (4) additional years
· The Parking Utility and/or the customer can terminate the Agreement for no cause upon short-term written notice
· The Parking Utility may terminate the Agreement immediately (by deactivating coupons) in the even of non-payment
· The Agreement must be made on a contract form approved by the the City Attorney and Risk Manager.
WHEREAS, under a third and distinct type of agreement, a business or organization agrees to pay the entire parking fee (at the current rate) for any vehicle that parks in a specific facility for a period of time on specific dates, plus an administrative fee; and
WHEREAS, the Parking Utility wants to create a customer-friendly process that meets the time-line needs of its customers and would like the City Traffic Engineer and Parking Manager or designee to be able to sign all of these types of agreements on behalf of the City;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Traffic Engineer and Parking Manager, or designee, is authorized to enter into Coupon Agreements or other written parking agreements meeting the criteria above, and is further authorized to sign such agreements on behalf of the City.