South Haven Boat Launch Season Pass Fiasco

[danthebuilder]

It appears that city council has finally acting on the problems with the season passes that came up this year.

Here are the minutes....

City Council will be asked to consider awarding the bid for parking pay terminals at

South Beach, North Beach and Black River Park to Total Parking Solutions in the

amount of $99,660.

Background Information: The City of South Haven has requested bids for parking pay

terminals to be installed at South Beach, North Beach and Black River Park. South Beach is

planned for new pay terminals as part of a larger parking lot reconstruction project. North

Beach is included in the project because it is a paid parking area with a lot of use and it is a

high maintenance enforcement area. Black River Park has been added to the project

because of problems with the existing pay terminal in that location and the need to replace

the pay terminal.

Based on review of the products available and experiences in other communities, we

believe that there will be a decrease in the amount of staff time required to do enforcement,

and an increase in parking system revenue by using an automated pay terminal. In addition,

the automated pay terminal would allow the boat launch at Black River Park to be a paid

service for a longer season than currently in use, which will also increase revenue. -5-

The purpose of the Parking Pay Terminal bid is to select a vendor who will work with the City

to determine the exact number of pay terminals as well as exact location of the terminals.

The specified dollar amounts in the bid are based on an estimate of the number of terminals

and may be changed after review of the parking areas with the selected vendor. The

purpose of the bid amounts are to allow comparison between vendors and to select a

vendor.

During 2011, staff experienced problems with the computer hardware that activated

seasonal pass cards at Black River Park. We attempted to work with the firm that serviced

the pay terminal (Traffic and Safety Controls), but were unable to get the seasonal card

system to work. This experience has emphasized the importance of a responsive firm with a

service crew that can respond quickly, with an adequate replacement part inventory that can

be delivered the same day.

After interviewing city staff who had worked with Traffic and Safety Controls, I recommend

that we disqualify Traffic and Safety Controls and their equipment supplier (Digital Pioneer)

due to poor customer service. The notes from the interviews with staff are available upon

request.

The bidder VenTek, which is headquartered in California, proposes to warehouse parts in

California and service the pay terminals with technicians who travel the entire midwest (or

possibly the US). The firm who would do the service has not yet been selected and would

be a subcontractor to VenTek. Staff is concerned about the response time of technicians

who do not have a home office within one day driving time, and the lack of a spare parts

warehouse in the midwest. Staff recommends disqualifying VenTek due to not having a

home office and parts warehouse within daily driving distance from South Haven.

The bidder Total Parking Solutions has its headquarters in Downer's Grove, Illinois. The

nearest system is in St. Joseph, and references are positive. The bid amounts were used to

prepare a cost comparison based on a 10 year service life of the equipment, with an annual

maintenance contract.

Moved by Kozlik Wall to award the bid for parking pay terminals at South Beach, North

Beach and Black River Park to Total Parking Solutions in the amount of $99,660. Seconded

by Patterson.

A Roll Call Vote was taken:

Yeas: Arnold, Bemis, Fitzgibbon, Klavins, Kozlik Wall, Patterson, Burr

Nays: None

Motion carried.

THANK GOODNESS

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Seems like a lot of high falootin gizmos and costs just for launching boats these days. But, since I berth at a marina for the season, I really am not affected. Hope this doesn't put a damper on the casual visitors to the launch ramps that like to visit, not launch.

[anonymous]

What a relief. I am not the only one that hates that machine. I wish I had audio of a busy Saturday morning there. It would be hilarious.

[Eliminator]

I second the "hate the machine". I also wondered if any one else turned in their receipts over the $75 gate fee for a refund? They claimed we could and that they would refund anything over the $75.

[danthebuilder]

The refund was mentioned early in the year "we'll refund & give you a pass". After the dream of getting a pass was given up I didn't bother trying to get a refund. I started using quarters at the end of the year out of spite.

[SCUM LINE]

There was a Morning.. if i have a chian with me... i would have removed it.. :/

[Far Beyond Driven]

I have removed it with a socket set one time. You can put it back then none the wiser.....