February 28, 2007 Contact: Sue Baker
For Immediate Release 738-2000
Avedisian’s FY08 budget won’t include
beach parking fee program
Avedisian says operating expenses for program double its revenue
WARWICK – Mayor Scott Avedisian said today that his FY08 budget will not include a provision for the annual beach parking fee collection program that has been in place for over a decade, because revenues don’t come close to covering the cost of running the seasonal program.
As he prepares his upcoming budget, Avedisian has asked department directors and division chiefs to examine their budgets to see where savings could be found. After identifying the beach fee program, Avedisian met with Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Michael Rooney and Ward Six Councilwoman Donna Travis, who sponsored the original ordinance in 1995, to discuss the issue.
“When we looked at the figures, it just no longer logically made sense to keep this in place,” Avedisian said, noting that last year’s revenues were approximately $12,000 and personnel and other costs totaled around $24,000. “Councilwoman Travis has always made a valid argument for this type of program, but she agreed that this was something that needed to be looked at. So, for the foreseeable future, we will be eliminating the fees, although the ordinance will remain on the books.”
Last summer, the city employed five parking fee collectors and one supervisor from the third Saturday in June through Labor Day. Attendants were on duty daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at City Park, Oakland Beach and Conimicut beaches.
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