12/18/2001 RA RPT 15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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People Serving People CITY OF RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM Riverside HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL HONORABLE MAYOR AND REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY SUBJECT: Reorganization of Public Parking Operations DATE: December 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 15 BACKGROUND: During the past six years the function of the City's public parking operations has resided with the Redevelopment Agency. This change was instituted because the Agency was significantly subsidizing the financial shortfall of the function and it was believed that they could bring the operation out of its negative financial status. Shortly thereafter, parking enforcement for the majority of public parking was shifted from the Police Department to the Finance Department. Both of these shifts have proven extremely beneficial to the overall effectiveness of the public parking program both from an administrative and financial standpoint. As we move forward with the proposed construction of additional public parking facilities in the downtown area, it is my opinion that we should seriously evaluate the organizational structure we wish to pursue to ensure that the public parking operation will never again become a financial drain on either the City' s General Fund or the Redevelopment Agency~s tax increment funds. In order to ensure the long term financial viability of this critical operation it would be appropriate to consider the creation of a Public Parking Services Section that would incorporate all facets of the parking operation under one central location that could provide the necessary oversight to the operation in order to ensure the most efficient use of current resources, improved internal and external communications and provide the necessary leadership to address current and long-term parking opportunities and challenges. Oversight in all of these areas is needed to effectuate proper fiscal responsibility. After giving this matter considerable thought over the past year, I am proposing the creation of a Public Parking Services Section under the Traffic Division of the Public Works Department that would handle all phases, including parking operations, parking enforcement and parking citation processing. In this manner we could assure ourselves that all potential on-going parking revenue sources are properly utilized to create additional public parking facilities. This operation would be led by a Public Parking Services Supervisor. This individual's sole responsibility would be to provide leadership and guidance to staff, help establish and achieve the goals and missions of public parking, establish and implement strategic planning and parking management strategies and manage the City's parking resources including enforcement. This Section would therefore include the operation functions ( the Ampco contract and one staff person) currently housed in the Development Department, the enforcement function ( 4 parking control representatives ) currently operating out of the Business 15-1