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Lewes is considering an increase in parking meter fees to narrow the city’s $350,000 to $400,000 fiscal year 2008-09 budget deficit. Parking meter rates in the city haven’t changed for a decade.
Meter fees in Lewes are 50 cents an hour in the business district and 75 cents an hour at the city’s two beachfront parking lots.
The business district rate was last increased in 1997. The beachfront parking lot rate was increased in 1993.
In comparison, the Rehoboth Beach business district and beach area parking meter fee is $1 per hour. Rehoboth Beach is considering an increase to $2 per hour for the first two blocks from the beach on Rehoboth Avenue. Rehoboth Beach commissioners continue to examine alternatives.
In Dewey Beach some bayside parking meters are 50 cents an hour and some are $1 an hour. All oceanside meters in Dewey are $1 an hour.
Bethany Beach parking meter fees are $1.25 an hour in the business district and in beach areas.
Last year Lewes extended the period its parking meters are active from Labor Day through Oct. 15.
Lewes City Manager Thomas Wontorek said if the mayor and council decide to increase meter rates, the city would need to purchase updated software for electronic meters used at the beaches and at the 1812 Park parking lot. He estimated it would cost about $1,000 for new software and to purchase and install new rate decals for mechanical meters.
Wontorek has recommended the mayor and council consider increasing meter fees by 25 to 75 cents.
He said depending on if and how much the mayor and council decide to increase parking meter fees the city could collect more than $30,000 from business district meters compared to last fiscal year and about $26,000 from Beach 1 meters compared to last year.
Payroll for Lewes’ meter personnel during last year’s extended meter season was $8,320. Revenue for the same period, for meters at the beach lots, Second Street and 1812 Park, and for parking fines and late fees, exceeded expenses by $26,775.
The mayor and council are also considering a request for $5,000 by the Lewes Historical Society. Michael DiPaolo, historical society executive director, said the money would be used to set up an exhibit at the Lewes Life-Saving Station and Boathouse.
DiPaolo said the first-class exhibit would feature a variety of objects used by lifesavers of the era, narratives of what it was like to work at the stations, and a diorama depicting Lewes Beach during the period. He said the exhibit is planned for a May opening.
DiPaolo said the exhibit would cost an estimated $20,000 and there are no state agencies from which the project could receive money.
The mayor and council’s meter fee increase and historical society request are on the agenda for the 7 p.m., Monday, March 17 regular meeting at the Lewes Public Library.
To finalize the budget the panel will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 25, at the library.
Proposed meter rate hikes in Lewes and Rehoboth Beach are, in part, caused by real estate transfer tax revenue losses resulting from a slump in housing sales.
Lewes mayor, council and city manager have been carefully combing through the draft budget looking for areas to cut costs or increase revenue.
Lewes Mayor Jim Ford said he wants to avoid a tax increase, or at least reduce the amount of any increase, by using some reserve cash, budget cuts and revenue enhancements.
Contact Henry Evans at hevans@capegazette.com
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