MONROE - Removing all parking meters from the downtown will pull about $34,000 from the city's coffers. That has the City of Monroe Finance and Taxation Committee searching for a new parking enforcement system.
On Tuesday, the committee sent a recommendation back to the Public Safety Committee to find a system for the area. Committee members want the system in place as soon as the Square streetscape project is finished this fall.
The Monroe City Council on Tuesday approved removing all meters from the downtown area, not just from the Square. Without meters, an enforcement-fine structure is the best option the city has to maintain control of parking on the Square, Police Chief Fried Kelley said.
Because of funds available in the TID No. 7, the committee told Kelley that a system could be purchased as soon as one was found that met council approval.
The streetscape budget has about $40,000 set aside to cover a parking enforcement system.
That amount was reduced from $100,000 included in the original estimated costs for the system.
Alderman Mark Coplien said he is very concerned the amount was reduced without council members being informed. He believes an electronic license plate recognition system will cost more, because it needs to be mounted to a vehicle designated for the purpose.
However, Coplien made the motion, and with it a recommendation for Public Safety to look into issuing long-term parking permits in lots and ramps off the Square.
Parking lots north of Stop 'N Go, south of the Square at Spring Creek, and east of Wisconsin Community Bank, and a parking ramp west of the Square are not metered.
Free but timed parking will become the management of parking spaces on the Square and in lots and the ramp.
Fines are not to raise revenues, but rather to deter an activity, Kelley told the committee. Kelley said overtime parking fines most likely would be higher when a new enforcement goes into effect.
Revenues from the meters "long ago stopped keeping up with covering the salaries of the Police Department and Street Department," he said.
While the 2009 budget is getting shorted because of the removal of parking meters, Kelley said he wanted the Finance and Taxation Committee to be aware of the "bigger hole" in the budget next year, which will affect the Police and Street departments the most.
Any enforcement system and permitted parking will need to go through the Public Safety, Finance and Taxation and Judiciary and Ordinance Review committees before the council will finalize it.
On Tuesday, the committee sent a recommendation back to the Public Safety Committee to find a system for the area. Committee members want the system in place as soon as the Square streetscape project is finished this fall.
The Monroe City Council on Tuesday approved removing all meters from the downtown area, not just from the Square. Without meters, an enforcement-fine structure is the best option the city has to maintain control of parking on the Square, Police Chief Fried Kelley said.
Because of funds available in the TID No. 7, the committee told Kelley that a system could be purchased as soon as one was found that met council approval.
The streetscape budget has about $40,000 set aside to cover a parking enforcement system.
That amount was reduced from $100,000 included in the original estimated costs for the system.
Alderman Mark Coplien said he is very concerned the amount was reduced without council members being informed. He believes an electronic license plate recognition system will cost more, because it needs to be mounted to a vehicle designated for the purpose.
However, Coplien made the motion, and with it a recommendation for Public Safety to look into issuing long-term parking permits in lots and ramps off the Square.
Parking lots north of Stop 'N Go, south of the Square at Spring Creek, and east of Wisconsin Community Bank, and a parking ramp west of the Square are not metered.
Free but timed parking will become the management of parking spaces on the Square and in lots and the ramp.
Fines are not to raise revenues, but rather to deter an activity, Kelley told the committee. Kelley said overtime parking fines most likely would be higher when a new enforcement goes into effect.
Revenues from the meters "long ago stopped keeping up with covering the salaries of the Police Department and Street Department," he said.
While the 2009 budget is getting shorted because of the removal of parking meters, Kelley said he wanted the Finance and Taxation Committee to be aware of the "bigger hole" in the budget next year, which will affect the Police and Street departments the most.
Any enforcement system and permitted parking will need to go through the Public Safety, Finance and Taxation and Judiciary and Ordinance Review committees before the council will finalize it.