<p>The change to a new automated parking system at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport is off to a rough start, and airport commissioners are unhappy about it.</p>
The change to a new automated parking system at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport is off to a rough start, and airport commissioners said last week that they’re not happy about it.
“There continue to be numerous problems,” commission chairman Bob Rosenbaum told LAZ Parking general manager Scott Woodbine at the commission meeting last Thursday. “It has been clear to me that from when this thing was turned on, it hasn’t been ready for prime time.”
A few commissioners said they had experienced problems navigating the new system and had received multiple complaints from visitors since the parking machines were installed on June 1.
Concerns included difficulties using the Island Card for a discount, reaching the machine to get the printout ticket and a lack of outreach to the Vineyard community about the changes.
Assistant airport manager Geoffrey Freeman agreed with commissioners that the new system has caused some headaches, but he said complaints have dropped significantly over the past month.
He added that the new system services the airport much better than the previous honor system, which he said was subject to abuse.
“A new system like this will have trial and error, but we’re providing a service,” Mr. Freeman said.
The airport bought the parking system earlier this year for $140,000 using a $106,000 state grant. LAZ Parking takes 15 per cent of revenues from the machines for managing the system.
Mr. Woodbine said machines at the long and short-term lots took in $21,000 in fees in June.
Commissioners agreed to hold off on paying LAZ any fees until the problems are satisfactorily resolved and advertisements are published in Island newspapers explaining the new system.
In other business Thursday, Edgartown businessman Louis Paciello told commissioners that he expects his new gas station and car wash in the airport business park to open sometime in August.
Mr. Rosenbaum chided Mr. Paciello for building delays, but Mr. Paciello said construction, which began in April, was held up by permitting issues and ongoing litigation with the previous owner of Airport Mobil, who vacated the site after the commission did not renew the lease.
At the close the meeting, former airport commission chairman Myron Garfinkle was recognized by commissioners for his three years of service on the board.
The commission then went into executive session, with Mr. Garfinkle attending, to discuss the litigation over the former Airport Mobil lease dispute.
Comments
Send this entire electronic
The Old Vineyard is Vanishing Hot Tin RoofSend this entire electronic parking system and all who voted for it back to America. All the visitors who pay big money to enjoy MVY seasonally do so because it is different from America. As you continually eliminate all the funky little MVY quirks (and honor parking was one -- I always paid my bill), you slowly erode the reasons the Vineyard is unique. It's a slippery slope and who knows where the tipping point is. But this petty little parking system is closer to the problem than it is to the solution.
Absoultly agree about the
gina Menemsha/nyc/nycAbsoultly agree about the many special quirks that makes MVY attractive.. Sadly 1 by 1 they are vanishing.. My recent airport parking experience was OK after I found the nice Parking attendant in his car .. He was helpful but when I asked why I saw some cars had receipts on their dash, he said it was optional.. & asked if I had sun glasses on when I pulled in, Yes, the scrips.. He said the screens glare makes so are very difficult to read the screen so it depends how sunny it's when you drive in.. An odd explanation.. then he said it wasn't necessary anyway but get a receipt when I leave.. My flight was cancelled , so there less than 3 hrs. he said it's no charge, but I'll believe when I get my next CC bill..
Hardly cutting edge technology.. & I read that the manufacturer gets a cut of the parking fees.. So another cut the airport will earn. Stupid....
Blame the previous gas
Jerry WTBlame the previous gas station owner. Yet another cheap shot. Note to self: plenty of other stations to gas up at. The whole process was a debacle. The gas station transition, dentist with a leaking roof, new parking system. Get the idea this Commission can't get things right????
Terrible system. Instructions
Gail Vineyard havenTerrible system. Instructions not clear for island card. No one at airport operations understands how parking works. Took me 3 days to get in touch with real person to refund excess amount.
This parking system is a
Patrice Daniels EdgartownThis parking system is a waste of money. The 21,000 they took in was from long term permits and taxi fees.
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