The Pottsville Parking Authority, in response to concerns from tenants at the City of Pottsville's Union Station, emphasized Friday that it can't afford to allow free parking there.
The maintenance cost is why, Patrick J. Murphy, parking authority president, said at the authority's March meeting.
"And I don't think it's the obligation of the city or the parking authority to give them free parking," said Mayor John D.W. Reiley, who sits on the authority's board of directors.
"That's why I'm anxious to get signs up down there, as a reminder," said Amy S. Burkhart, executive director of Pottsville Area Development Corp., which manages the authority.
Roberts Signs, Pottsville, recently designed the signs that the parking authority plans to post on the east side of Union Station to direct traffic.
According to mock-ups that Burkhart presented to the board for review, the signs will say "Visitor parking at metered spaces only" and "Additional parking available in adjacent lot. Metered spaces only."
The parking authority manages two parking lots at Union Station:
- The Union Street lot, owned by the City of Pottsville, contains 30 metered spots that cost a quarter per hour 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, along with 56 monthly parking spaces - 19 reserved spaces that cost $35 per month and 37 non-reserved spaces that cost $25 per month.
- The former 84 Lumber lot, which the authority leases from Hope Tower Associates LLC, contains 25 metered spaces that cost a quarter per hour 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, along with 85 non-reserved spaces at $25 per month.
So far this year, the parking authority collected $72.60 in meter income and $3,140 in income from the reserved spaces at the Union Street lot, according to the Pottsville Parking Authority's February 2013 Income/Expense Report.
At the 84 Lumber lot, the authority has collected $6.25 in meter income and $625 in monthly income from the reserved spaces so far this year, according to the report.
"And a percentage of what's collected at the 84 Lumber lot goes to the landowner. I believe it's 35 percent," authority Finance Officer Nora C. Chiplona said Friday.
Expenses the authority incurred this year to maintain those lots included $2,340.95 in snow removal at the Union Street lot and $2,191.25 in snow removal at the 84 Lumber lot, according to the report.
"In your financial statement, you can see you're not losing money but you're not making a lot of money," Reiley said.
In late January, the Schuylkill Economic Development Corp. and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce moved into the second floor of Union Station after SEDCO spent more than $400,000 to furnish it.
Frank J. Zukas, SEDCO executive director, and Robert S. Carl Jr., chamber executive director, had been making efforts to establish free parking at Union Station for customers and volunteers.
In response, the authority on Feb. 1 decided to do a two-month study of the issue. In the meantime, the authority decided to give the tenants at Union Station free parking for 22 employees at the 84 Lumber lot.
The building houses STS and a Pottsville police substation on the third floor; SEDCO and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce on the second floor, and the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau and QEI Construction, Wyomissing, Berks County, on the ground floor.
According to Burkhart, the authority plans to send a letter to those tenants, giving them two options to consider:
- Keep the current arrangement made in December, offering Union Station tenants 22 reduced-rate parking spaces - $10 per space per month - at the 84 Lumber lot; and 30 short-term metered spaces at the Union Station lot.
- Revert back to the original agreement offered by the City of Pottsville, removing the 22 short-term metered spaces at the Union Station lot and moving the Union Station employees back there.
"The rent for those parking spaces will be free as provided for in their lease. The remaining eight spaces will remain metered visitor spaces, with additional metered visitor parking available at the 84 Lumber Lot," Burkhart said.
"I would like to see that letter before I comment," Carl said Friday.
Zukas was out of town Friday, according to Letitia R. Reiser, SEDCO administrative assistant, and he could not be reached for comment.
Sandy Paulshock, the mayor's secretary, said there are copies of them on file at City Hall but they are not public information.
On Friday, The Republican-Herald submitted a Right-to-Know request to Julie D. Rescorla, city clerk, in an effort to view those documents.
"I think we should resort back to the original agreement that was made with the city, and we give the tenants what was promised," Murphy said.
"I know that nobody's really thrilled about plugging a meter but, by the same token, if you want to keep short-term parking available for short-term parkers, then meters are necessary to do that," Burkhart said.
"And if they park illegally, they will get a ticket. You have to abide by the rules," Murphy said.