ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending Chapter 28, Section 83 of the CODE of the CITY OF PEORIA Pertaining to FINES FOR PARKING VIOLATIONS.
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BACKGROUND: The Parking Enforcement Section of Public Works issues tickets for parking violations throughout the City of Peoria. Currently, they are using older handheld Motorola Parking Enforcement units which were purchased in 1998. These units are obsolete, do not contain current vehicle information and will not be compatible with our new finance software. Additionally, the units are not compatible with our pay by phone parking, which requires the Parking Technicians to carry two separate ticket systems in the downtown area. Public Works has looked into upgrading the handheld units to be compatible with all of our needs; however, estimates of the replacement equipment were expensive, over $10,000 per unit when last checked.
With newer technology available, Public Works has looked in to other options for ticket writing. Once such option is a mobile ticket writing service provided by Passport Parking. This system allows the Parking Technicians to write the tickets on a smartphone and issue them via a hand-held, Bluetooth printer. This system also has the advantage of being fully integrated with the current pay by phone parking, is compatible with our new finance software and has real-time data on vehicle and parking violators. Additionally, it can be instantly upgraded when necessary. The real-time data is crucial in being able to locate violators who are subject to immobilization for failure to pay 5 or more violations (Sec. 28-100), which will lead to increased fine collection. Additionally, the system allows the Technician to take a photo of the violation with their smartphone and print this with the ticket. This added photographic proof will likely lead to less appeals of violations. Finally, this system is expandable in the future if needed.
The City currently has an agreement with Passport Parking for pay by phone services, which contains language to expand our relationship to include mobile ticketing services. By initiating the expansion of services with Passport Parking to include the mobile ticket writing, staff can provide upgraded ticket writing services for little cost to the City. The fee, per the agreement, for the mobile ticketing service is $3 per ticket collected but no capital cost for equipment. Staff recommends increasing the fines for parking violations for tickets by $5 to offset this operational cost. The increase in fines for parking violations will go into effect June 1, 2018.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: By increasing the parking fines by $5 per ticket, the City will be able to utilize a mobile ticket writing service at no cost to the City budget. Using a mobile ticket writing system will also allow the City to avoid the cost of purchasing new ticket writing units to replace the outdated ones that are currently being used.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: No neighborhood concerns are anticipated.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: Increasing parking ticket fines by $5 will allow the City to pass the per citation fee for mobile ticket writing services on to those violating the parking sections of Chapter 28 of the City Code.
IMPACT IF DENIED: Fines for violating parking sections of Chapter 28 of the City Code will remain as currently established. The mobile ticket writing service will lower revenue of each paid violation by a service fee.
ALTERNATIVES: N/A
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: N/A
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Financially Sound City
2. Safe Peoria
3. Grow Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Invest in our infrastructure and transportation.
2. Keep taxes and fees competitive.
3. Have an efficient government.
DEPARTMENT: Public Works