By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – During the April 25 Board of Commissioners meeting, Ventnor Business Association President Brenda Dowd expressed concerns among the business community regarding the city’s plans to eliminate coin parking meters in the city’s five business districts.
The city plans to switch over to Park Mobile kiosks in all metered parking areas. Kiosks are currently located in beach parking areas at Suffolk and Newport avenues and in the city-operated parking lot on Newport Avenue. The move will save taxpayers on the cost of maintaining the meters as they age and the cost of enforcement, officials said.
Dowd said she surveyed business owners who expressed “substantial concern” regarding the removal of the coin operated parking meters that line Atlantic and Ventnor avenues in business districts.
“You will have to make substantial changes to signage if the meters are removed,” she said.
At this time, there’s one sign on each block advising motorists to use parking meters, but without added signage directing motorists to use the ParkMobile app to pay for parking, “they won’t see it,” Dowd said. “You will have to increase signage for it to be successful.”
Commissioner Tim Kriebel said ParkMobile will install additional signage at its own cost, “which is in their best interest,” he said.
According to Commissioner of Revenue and Finance Maria Mento, the city took in $152,000 last year at ParkMobile kiosk locations and $30,000 from the meters. It also spent between $2,000 and $10,000 to maintain the aging parking meters. The city also employs three parking enforcement officers with two on duty per day, Dowd said.
“North Beach has its own issues with parking,” Dowd said. “You have angry residents there because it is not enforced, now you will have angry business owners if it’s not enforced.”
Dowd said the business owners do not want any changes to the time allowed for parking in commercial areas and she lamented the loss of the 5-10 minute grace period allowed for parking where there are meters, she said.
Mayor Lance Landgraf said there will be no changes to permitted time periods, and although the grace period would be eliminated, the ParkMobile system allows motorists to pay the $1 per hour parking fee in 15-minute increments.
Officials also said that ParkMobile will not permit users to extend time past the 2-, 3- or 4-hour time limits permitted in certain business districts. ParkMobile, which can be utilized from any smart phone, will send push notifications to police when time expires. That will reduce the cost of enforcement, Kriebel said.
The city plans to switch to the ParkMobile kiosks by summer.
In other business, the board agreed to advertise for bids for the band shell planned for the Newport Avenue beachfront park. Bids will be received in mid-May and a contract awarded for construction to start immediately after Labor Day. Kriebel said the project was redesigned to raise the elevation of the platform to the same height as the gazebo so bands will be visible from the rear of the beachfront park. Also, both the gazebo and lifeguard hut have been already been removed. A temporary stage will be set up where the gazebo was located to accommodate Saturday night concerts throughout the summer.
The board also approved a 1-year extension for Brothers Enterprises, LLC to operate the Pier Shack concession stand at the Ventnor Fishing Pier this summer at a slightly higher fee than last year.
The board also contracted with Trinity Code Inspections, LLC for plumbing and fire protection, mechanical and building inspection services. According to Landgraf, with personnel changes in the Code Enforcement Department, going with third-party services will not cost more and will provide for a smooth transition.
The city also hired four Class 1 Special Law Enforcement Officers to patrol the boardwalk and other areas. Brett Grodziak, Kayle Croker, Jeff Dao and Tommy Tran will earn $18 per hour and work on a part-time basis.
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