A Biddeford city councilor said the parking garage in town is too complicated and costing the city money.
Biddeford’s parking garage on Pearl Street is privately run by two companies: Amber Infrastructure and Premium Parking. But the garage is under contract with the city for guaranteed revenue.
If the garage exceeds that revenue requirement, the city gets a cut of the profits. But if the garage falls short of the mark, the city is on the hook to make up the difference.
Since it opened two years ago, City Councilor Marty Grohman said it hasn’t met the revenue mark four times. He said the city has paid $650,000 in stabilization payments.
Grohman blames bad management.
“I hear over and over again from constituents that want to come and park here,” Grohman said. “But they can’t use the payment system.”
Most payment options at the garage require a smartphone. To pay to park, you can download the Premium Parking App, scan the QR code in the garage or send a text message to an automated phone number. You can also pay with cash or a credit card at the kiosk in person.
But if you pay in cash, you won’t get any change.
Grohman complained there’s a lack of signs to point out the one kiosk in the garage, which is in the corner of the first floor.
“It can’t be based on an app,” Grohman said. “People don’t want to download an app to their phone every time they go into a different garage.”
“Some people do not have the means or the know-how to get on and be able to take pictures like that and get on [the website],” said Nick Sargent, who parks in the garage daily.
Amber Infrastructure said those payment options were designed by the city and that the city has the right to make changes to operations.
Without guidance from the City Council, Amber Infrastructure said it cannot make changes.
“There is a contractual arrangement in place between us and the city of Biddeford,” said Tom O’Shaughnessy, Amber Infrastructure’s head of North American operations. “I reached out to city staff today.”
But Grohman said if something doesn’t change before January, the city could find different management.
“I oppose any further stabilization payments. They aren’t doing their job,” Grohman said. “We cannot pay them. They need to fix this issue.”
For now, the garage remains mostly empty.
