The purchase of a new automated parking system for the downtown area was a topic of lengthy discussion at the July 16 meeting of the Auburn City Council.
The new system, part of Phase I in Auburn's Parking Project, is serviced by Ventek International and will manage 93 spaces in the recently constructed lot on Gay Street in the combined space from the old Colonial Bank and Auburn Bank drive-thru tellers.
Assistant City Manager Kevin Cowper explained that the system will use payment kiosks instead of traditional coin meters. For the past several months, there has been a test kiosk at the municipal parking deck behind Moe's Barbeque and Little Italy Pizzeria.
The seven new kiosks will accept coins, bills and credit cards, which Cowper noted would be a popular option for college students and other young adults. Users will walk to the nearest kiosk, type in their parking space number and pay for their time, which will be measured in normal 30-minute allotments.
The system will allow users to pay for up to four hours of parking time at once. The traditional parking meters have a two-hour time limit, and Cowper noted that those meters were not ideal for those working or staying downtown for extended times.
Most of the discussion involving the new parking system centered on its price tag. According to the City Manager's office, the system will cost $215,740.96.
"I understand what (the council members) are saying (about the price), but we think there will be a good return on this investment," Cowper said. "It's hard to say exactly how much money this system would generate--I am estimating around the $40,000 range annually, which would give us around a five-year payback for this system."
While the resolution was later unanimously passed by the Council, the financial concerns from several members remained.
"I would hope that, in the future, we look at more vital projects first," Councilman Arthur Dowdell said. "I'm going to go ahead and vote for it, but it's hard to digest the price of this system...I'm not saying this is not a good project, but it's hard to digest this. It seemed like the old system worked.
"I know we live in a modernized age, but we need to be good stewards of how we spend the city's money."
Dowdell raised more concerns right before the meeting was adjourned, but they had nothing to do with spending city money.
The Ward 1 Councilman read part of a letter he received from an African-American doctoral alumna of Auburn University who never received a response from the city's school system two years after applying for a job.
Dowdell called for a closer look into racial discrimination allegations all across the Auburn government, from the Auburn Police Division to the school board.
In other news from the meeting:
. The Council approved an alcoholic beverage license for Jenni's Kitchen on 901 South College Street.
. Supplemental law enforcement services were approved for Auburn University sporting events for the next year.
. A zoning ordinance for the Farmville Lakes area was approved.
. A contract was finalized with Dixie Electric Cooperative for underground electrical service and street lights at the Auburn Technology Park.
. Another contract was finalized with Machen, McChesney & Chastain LLP for an annual independent audit.
. A motion for a full-time school resource officer for Lee-Scott Academy was approved. According to the Auburn Police Division, the school will pay for the officer's salary, and the City of Auburn will provide 22 percent of the benefits.
. A mutual aid agreement was approved for the City of Opelika, the Lee County Commission and the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
. Two motions from the Water Resource Management Department were approved for the purchase of two clarifier drives for Thickener Drive and for Phase 2 of the City's Sewer Project.
. A motion for drainage and utility management acceptance across Lot 7 of J. Cary Woods Subdivision (Sanders Street) was approved.
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