Prepare to pay more for parking
Starting in spring, the city will replace all of its old parking meters.
By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck will join other local communities in upgrading its parking meters.
Hamtramck is about to install high-tech meters much like the ones you see in Royal Oak and Birmingham that can take credit cards or be accessed by an application on your cell phone.
More importantly, they will actually work, unlike many of those currently remaining on Jos. Campau and in city parking lots, and will more effectively help enforcement,
In other words, get ready to shell out more money – or begin to walk or ride your bike more.
The new meters won’t cost the city a dime.
The city is partnering with Municipal Parking Services, which is based out of Minnesota. The company will install the meters, and then maintain them, in exchange for 50 percent of the proceeds collected from fees and tickets.
City Manager Kathy Angerer said the five-year contract with the company is expected to generate $180,000 for the city during that period.
Keeping the current meters, Angerer said, would lead to declining revenue each year because more and more break down.
The city will still be in charge of enforcement.
This is an edited version of what appeared in the print issue.
Jan. 24, 2020
5 Responses to Prepare to pay more for parking
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Nasr Hussain
January 25, 2020 at 12:44 pm
This is a copy of an email I sent to city’s officials:
Dear City Officials;
Reading the Hamtramck Review newspaper, I learned that a new parking contract will be voted upon.
I have a few concerns about this contract;
1-The newspaper states that the city will generate $185,000 in five years from this contract ($37,000 per year) in contrast to around $70,000 parking meter revenues I have seen in previous city’s budget.
2-Hamtramck has around 340 parking spots (as stated in this rfp)
https://hamtramck.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Parking-Meter-Installation-Services-Request-for-Proposal.pdf
$37,000 / 250 business days = $148 income per day /350 meters = 43 cents daily income to the city from each meter.
This proposal is very unfair for the city and it’s very strange that it’s being considered while claiming that the city is in financial hardship.
Please vote against this unjust contract.
Nasr Hussain
January 25, 2020 at 12:45 pm
Also, take into consideration the increase in parking tickets issued to residents and the
extra cost that will be put on our court system when these tickets are disputed.
The city’s budget and the residents of Hamtramck will be subsidizing this company’s profit and we
will be on the losing end of this deal.
marvin Harold zimberg
January 25, 2020 at 1:36 pm
Worst idea I ever heard off for the City of Hamtramck. What will it cost the city for Judge & court fees, are there any extra insurance fees that Hamtramck would be responsible for. slip and fall law suites, any extra and special snow removal or side walk repairs. Most items today are purchased on the internet, small commercial buildings and businesses and stores are barely surviving.
I see this as a disaster for the shopping district.
Fatema Hossain
January 25, 2020 at 2:22 pm
“Keeping the current meters, Angerer said, would lead to declining revenue each year because more and more break down.”
One aspect needing discussion is how reliable are the advanced “smart meters” to be installed?
There have been problems reported with the micro processors within these meters being sensitive to cold and freezing in the winter and becoming inoperable. This has occurred in Edmonton, Canada, per press reports, and anecdotally in the City of Detroit when their Parking Violations Bureau switched from mechanical to computerized parking meters.
One question is who determines where the new meters are to be installed or where they are expected to be placed. At old locations? Or will the city find new areas to place them?
Rashal ali
February 15, 2020 at 4:37 pm
One Bad idea and driving out businesses from the city is the the Worst part. Businesses are struggling due to parking issues or not having parking spaces. City could earn more revenue from business sales tax, licensing rather than third party parking company’s parking meters.
Throw out these meters and bring in more businesses and revenue.