HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Smart Card Program Agreement with ISU RESOLUTION NO. 14-203
RESOLUTION APPROVING PRE-PAY PARKING SMART CARD PROGRAM
AGREEMENT WITH IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA
WHEREAS, on February 5, 2013, City Council referred a request from former ex officio
Council Member Sawyer Baker asking if it would be possible for the SmartCards issued by Iowa
State University to be compatible with the City's meters; and,
WHEREAS,since that time, staff has held several meetings with ISU Parking staff and with
City staff from other departments and divisions to explore this possibility; and,
WHEREAS, staff has also had several meetings with POM, the manufacturer of the
Smartcard meters, to outline the various programming options and configurations that could meet
the goal of having a combined ISU and City of Ames Smartcard parking meter system; and,
WHEREAS, after compiling all of this information, the simplest and most cost-effective
framework for a combined Smartcard system would require the following changes as listed below:
• Since ISU's current Smartcard customer base outnumbers Ames customers
approximately 50 to 1,the City will need to purchase three license codes used by ISU to
program our parking meters; this would allow the new Smartcards to be used in any
meter city-wide, which is the main goal of this new combined system. The cost per
license is $1,141,bringing the total cost of licenses to $3,423;
• Instead of the City holding on to and depositing the money when a customer buys time
for their Smartcard,under this new arrangement those funds will be sent to ISU Parking
accounts. Then,on a monthly basis, City Parking Meter staff will audit the City parking
meters and will bill ISU for the Smartcard usage seen during that time. This auditing of
City meters can be performed during regular coin collections,and will therefore require
only a small amount of additional staff time;
• For the first two years under the new system, ISU and City Staff will collect usage data
from meter audit reports to estimate the amount of unspent dollars on cards that were
issued. Not all money collected for Smartcards is actually spent in the meters,since there
are lost or damaged cards, etc. Those unspent funds would then be paid to ISU and the
City proportionately based upon the audit reports. After the"startup"period of 2 years,
this calculation and payback will be conducted annually on a rolling-average basis; and,
• Staff has been working with ISU Parking on creating new artwork for the Smartcards.
The new cards will contain logos of both parties so that it will be clear to all customers
that they can be used in both City and ISU meters alike.
WHEREAS, under the agreement, ISU will buy these cards in bulk, and the City can
purchase whatever number of cards is needed at cost; and,
WHEREAS,an estimated first purchase would be approximately 200 cards at$3.50 each for
a total City cost of$700, and the cards will then be sold to the public at $5 per card for new users;
and,
WHEREAS,in total,the City's initial investment for this consolidation will be approximately
$4,100, and that sum can be covered from the Parking Fund available balance; and,
WHEREAS, the start date for the combined ISU and City of Ames Smartcard system is
proposed to be August 1, 2014; and,
WHEREAS, this agreement will extend until June 30, 2019.
NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED,by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa,
that the agreement with Iowa State University to combine its Smartcard meter system with the City
of Ames is hereby approved.
ADOPTED THIS 22nd day of April, 2014.
C�LA�"�R-1YAd. AS-W c
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor
Introduced by: Nelson
Seconded by: Orazem
Voting aye: Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Goodman,Nelson, Orazem
Voting nay: None Absent: None
Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 22nd day of April, 2014.