By Michelle Fields, Standard Correspondent
Parking in the village was the main topic at this week’s trustees’ meeting as Economic Development Commission members presented alternatives to the current meter system.
“There’s a lot of frustration with the parking meter system,” Woodstock Chamber of Commerce Director Beth Finlayson told the trustees noting that there seems to be at least one meter somewhere in the downtown area that is jammed daily.
“You can’t just eliminate the meters from a revenue standpoint or a turnover standpoint,” EDC chair Charlie Kimbell told the board. He pointed out that meters have existed in the village since 1943 and revenue in 2015 was $85,275 and ticket fines were $26,082. With expenses to purchase and maintain the meters at $33,817 and another $10,000 to rent spaces in the library parking lot, that still leaves operating income of $67,540 from parking meters last year.
“Parking is subsidizing the village budget,” Kimbell said.
“The point is not the revenue. The point is the turnover,” trustee chair Candace Coburn said.
Under the current system, two parking tickets a year can be forgiven with validation by a local business. “People are very, very appreciative of the ticket forgiveness program,” trustee and Unicorn Gift Shop owner Jeffrey Kahn told the board.
In their months long study of village parking, the EDC came up with a number of recommendations. The first suggestion was to replace the current meters with modern smart meters that take credit cards. At about $500 each, these meters can send a text message when they are running low on time and people can add time from their phone while shopping.
Another advantage to these meters, according to Kimbell, is that their clocks reset when someone leaves so this increases revenue.
A second suggestion was to increase the revenue per meter by raising the rate from the current 50-cents an hour. Hanover and Burlington both charge $1 an hour. “A survey of employees asked if they would still park at meters if they were raised by 50 percent and they said no,” Kimbell said noting that this would leave metered spaces for visitors.
A third suggestion was to dramatically reduce ticketing by shifting from what Kimbell called “harsh enforcement to a benevolent nudge.” This could be accomplished via a note on the windshield suggesting payment of a $10 fine for those over the time but noting they would not receive an actual ticket unless it was their third time receiving that notice.
“If you want to raise rates, you should give people the option to pay a lower rate,” EDC member Matt Stover told the board noting another recommendation is to sell parking discount cards.
Finally, the EDC also recommends that options to increase parking capacity in the village be investigated. This could include leasing the historical society lot or other parking areas.
Offering an alternative to the EDC’s plan, EDC member and NT Ferro Jewelers owner Nick Ferro pointed out the need for employee parking and suggested dedicating the Mechanic Street Parking lot and possibly leasing the historical society lot for this purpose.
“Not everyone agrees with the idea of meters,” Ferro said noting that if there was dedicated employee parking, you might not need meters in the village as the Central and Elm Street parking spaces would be open for visitors.
“This could become a parking meter free community which would add tremendously to the beauty of Woodstock,” Kahn agreed.
Stover urged the trustees to begin by piloting the smart meters, which can be run by solar power or batteries. “Let’s pilot the meters and see if they deliver on the promises,” Stover said.
For now, the trustees did not make any decisions but they will consider the ideas brought up in the future. “We’re always open to what we can do,” Coburn said.
In other business, the trustees approved a new rotary fundraiser that is currently being called Lobstock. The event will be a lobster dinner on the Green on July 23 complete with an offering of a beer, wine or soda.
Finlayson outlined the plan for the event noting that all of the profits will be given back to the community. She emphasized that the event is needed as the Penny Sale, which will continue, no longer generates as much income as it did in the past.
In response to a letter from residents from the Village Condominium Association at 11 Church Street with concerns about potholes causing trembling and cracking at their residences when trucks hit the holes, Swanson noted that he will bring in a company to heat up and add more pavement into the holes there and between Tribou Park and the old jail this summer.
Trustees also approved a grant application to seek state funds to pave Prospect Street this summer. The Woodstock select board previously approved an 80 percent grant application to pave Church Hill Road, the extension of Prospect Street.
This article first appeared in the March 10, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.