FREEHOLD — A contract has been awarded by the members of the Borough Council for the management of planned metered parking in Freehold Borough.
During a recent special meeting, council members passed a resolution awarding the $282,676 contract to Flowbird Group, Moorestown, for a parking management system suite. The term of the contract is for two years.
According to the resolution, Flowbird Group will receive $266,836 for the first year of providing equipment and services, and $15,840 for the second year.
Borough officials have the option to extend the contract for a third year at a cost of $15,840, which will bring the total cost to $298,516.
Three proposals were received for providing the borough with a fully functioning parking management system. In addition to Flowbird Group, ITS/T2 and IPS Group submitted proposals to Freehold Borough.
According to the resolution, an evaluation committee recommended the contract be awarded to Flowbird Group, which was awarded the highest total score among the components listed in the request for proposals that had been issued to vendors.
The award of a contract for the parking management system followed the council’s adoption of a bond ordinance that appropriated $720,000 for use by the Borough Parking Utility, which manages the town’s parking operations. The appropriation consists of $684,000 in bonds or notes and a down payment of $36,000.
Council members also authorized a professional services agreement with Level G Services to provide consulting services relating to the Borough Parking Utility. The cost of the firm’s services is not to exceed $7,000.
The Borough Parking Utility was established four years ago. The parking utility is an enterprise from which a municipality anticipates it will receive fees, rents and/or other charges.
Municipal officials said that under state statute, Freehold Borough is permitted to establish a public parking system to manage the parking operations of all public on-street and off-street parking facilities. The utility will maintain and operate the public parking system.
In creating the utility, council members determined a public parking system would promote the public safety and welfare for residents and visitors and said it was in the best interests of Freehold Borough to establish the utility to manage the parking operations.
The parking utility will be responsible for enforcing all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations applicable to the public parking system. It will have the authority to construct, maintain, improve and operate the public parking system in the borough. The utility will be under the administration, operation and control of the borough administrator.
The division that is responsible for maintenance, construction and improvement of all capital operations of the utility will be under the supervision of the superintendent of the Department of Streets and Roads.
Parking enforcement officers will be under the direction and supervision of the police chief.
All money derived from the operation or support of a municipal public utility will be kept in a separate fund for accounting and budgetary purposes, according to municipal officials.
The mayor, with the advice and consent of a majority of the council, will have the full authority to appoint all necessary employees to the parking utility, including the parking enforcement officers under the direction and supervision of the police chief.