On April 7, Gossips reported on the request from the Columbia County Board of Supervisors Space Utilization Committee that ten to fourteen onstreet parking spaces in the first block of Warren Street be reserved for the exclusive use of county employees working at 11 Warren Street: "Such Chutzpah!" Last night, at the Common Council ad hoc Parking Committee meeting, Jennifer Belton (Fourth Ward) proposed an alternative solution to the county's self-created parking problem. The county will pave and line a parking lot at the waterfront, just across and to the left of the Ferry Street Bridge.
The parking lot would have 40 to 50 spaces all together, but 12 spaces would be reserved for the exclusive use of county employees, without charge, for six years. It is estimated that creating the parking lot will cost the county $175,000. What the county is proposing--buying the exclusive use of onstreet parking spaces--would cost $31,200 a year. Six years at $31,200 a year is $187,200, so the Belton's counterproposal would actually be less expensive.
Of course, this plan requires that county workers walk over the bridge and another four and a half blocks to get from their cars to their place of work.
It was agreed at last night's meeting that Belton would present this proposal in a letter to the Space Utilization Committee today.
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Why does the City government deal with the shitbirds at the County? Fuck ‘em and the horse they rode in on. Or the car as the case may be. Who cares what problems they have? If it’s that big a deal, sell the building. Otherwise quit your weeping. And as for the council members who waste their time on this shit — how about spending some of that misplaced concern and energy on the City’s fiscal health? That’s actually your job; holding the County’s hand isn’t.
ReplyDeleteThe long distance to and from the lot shouldn't be a concern. The parking committee will figure out a way to provide the county with a trolley to transport its employees back and forth, paid for with all the extra parking revenue the city will be swimming in thanks to the kiosks.
ReplyDeleteI agree with John. Why is the City trying to solve a problem that's not theirs, especially regarding a project that residents in the City do not support? Seriously, park on the street and pay meters like the rest of us do or find another location. It's not the City's problem to solve!
ReplyDeleteThe waterfront is the most valuable property the City has. Using that for a parking lot seems like a waste.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Colarusso Inc will let them park on “their” dock? Sienna Reid
ReplyDeleteAh.... let's take a minute to see the sequence, or doom loop, that started with 11 Warren Street.
ReplyDeleteFirst - Kamal and 1st Ward Supervisor Claire Cousins are asleep at the wheel.
Claire skips meetings, Kamal lacks any imagination to architect a broader plan or attract investment, and one day the City wakes up and what was supposed to be a mixed housing development is now a County storage facility cum office.
Then that becomes a parking issue on Warren...
Then that becomes a parking issue on the Waterfront...
In a few weeks... this will impact some other part of the City.
Hudson has dozens of these little doom loops.. set in motion by Kamal, tom and Claire.
Good leaders leave virtuous cycles. Bad leaders leave vicious cycles.
Does anyone know how much money the kiosk project is costing the City taxpayers? The initial cost of the kiosks themselves, the Police Station office remodeled, the salary of the employee who will be monitoring the kiosks, paying the consultant that sold them,
ReplyDeletehiring more meter monitors?
What is the point where the City will begin making a profit?
I think the assumption is that we make more money from increasing both the rate (doubling?) and the amount of spaces metered. Also, there would be an inherent savings in getting rid of having to manage quarters: collecting, counting/packing, risk of theft. Plus more parking tickets. But nothing will happen until those kiosks get installed and we raise those rates.
DeleteI think the kiosk were purchased from funds by selling city properties on Warren.
Ask Jen Belton, she's in charge of the project, though she'll be of no help to you.
DeleteFor what it's worth, we looked at installing kiosks eight or nine years ago for a number of reasons. While I'm certain costs have increased since them, it was estimated that the kiosks would pay for themselve within about a year (and that was with a lower parking rate). Part of the increase in revenue with kiosks is attributed to additional parking fees captured when someone feeds a meter, stays for less than their paid time, then leaves. With meters, someone can then park in that space for free until expiration, whereas it becomes a completely fresh parking fee with a kiosk.
DeleteThanks Tiffany.
DeleteAsk any parking professional or city manager that deals with parking matters regularly where the bulk of parking revenue comes from and they will all tell you: From ticket fees, not from meters or kiosks. But you can tell that the city is not serious about enforcement as all parking enforcers are part time hires and the parking meters were allowed to be neglected for years. They are barking up the wrong tree with the kiosks, and in the end this idea/project will be a grand failure and huge waste of money. You watch.
DeleteThank you for the additional insight Tiffany.
Delete@BILL - didn't you figure out with FOILs that Mayor Kamal (and others?) were squashing their own parking tickets at some point?
If so, can you link to that or publish it, or write the most brief and factual summary and share with us.
@FNI: here’s Bill’s story about the mayor’s alleged parking ticket fixing: https://hudseen.blogspot.com/2024/09/introducing-sleazy-entitled-so-called.html
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gomCkCbKHA4
ReplyDeleteThese parking woes are making me feel exhausted. Dysfunction breeds more dysfunction. Why bother? I'll just stay home or go to another town. Hudson, are you paying attention? I mean, it's spring and I'd love to visit The Secret Garden. But, it's just so challenging. I'll head to Holmquest. Did someone report tax revenue is down?
ReplyDelete