Committee reviews ordinance to create parking-meter fund, enable cashless payments and cover electric charging stations
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Summary
The Ways and Means Committee discussed CPO 2025-35 to establish a parking meter fund, authorize cashless ParkMobile payments, and spell out permissible uses — including maintenance, streets, and electric charging-station infrastructure; counsel will amend the draft and provide updates to councilors before the June meeting.
On May 29 the Gary Common Council Ways and Means Committee reviewed CPO 2025-35, an ordinance to create a parking meter fund, define permitted uses of meter proceeds, and accommodate a move toward cashless payments via ParkMobile.
Carla Morgan, the city's corporation counsel, said the ordinance establishes a fund for meter proceeds and lists uses allowed under state law. "It states in compliance with the state law that of course you all have to appropriate monies that come in," Morgan told the committee, stressing that money must be appropriated by council before it can be spent.
The draft lists typical uses such as meter maintenance and parking-lot upkeep; Morgan said it also allows for costs tied to traffic signals, streets, curbs and sidewalks in areas related to meter parking and for acquiring land to expand metered parking. Because electric-vehicle charging stations are becoming more common, she said the ordinance's definitions were broadened to allow the city to meter and charge for charging stations and similar infrastructure.
Morgan told the committee she will correct paragraph numbering and add language explicitly covering the cost of maintaining charging stations and related equipment. "I would like to add to that that, we can also cover the cost of maintaining the meter charging stations and related equipment infrastructure," she said. She also said the city is rolling out ParkMobile to make existing operations more efficient along the lakefront and other venues.
Committee members asked whether the city plans to expand the number of metered spaces; Morgan said there is no immediate plan to expand but that expansion could be discussed if the program succeeds.
No vote was taken during the committee meeting. Counsel said updated ordinance language and requested amendments will be circulated to council members by the next day so the item can be considered at the upcoming council meeting.