No more free parking in MainStrasse
The city will charge for parking in MainStrasse for the first time and will increase parking meters across the city from 35 cents to 55 cents per half hour.
Covington will hire more firefighters and police officers with increased parking fees.
The Covington Fire Department will increase by one budgeted firefighter to 110 and the police department will go from 106 to 110 officers.
To help pay for this, the city will charge for parking in MainStrasse for the first time and will increase parking meters across the city from 35 cents to 55 cents per half hour.
Covington City Commission approved the parking plan Tuesday and the hiring of new police officers and firefighters.
City Manager Larry Klein said the extra person in the fire department will reduce overtime expenses.
“We’re trying to be efficient,” Klein said. “We believe the extra person will pay for itself.”
What the plan won’t do is allow the city to restore the two firefighters and ambulance that moved from the South Covington firehouse July 1 due to budget cuts. Average daily fire department staffing went from 27 to 26 firefighters.
Covington Police officers have dwindled over the past 10 years from 116 to under 100. Due to retirements and departures, the total police and fire personnel is often lower than what’s budgeted.
Covington firefighters’ union president Jimmy Adams thanked the city commission for increasing the staff.
“This is a great step in the right direction,” Adams said. “It shows that if we work together, we can get stuff done.”
As a result, parking will get more expensive in Covington.
This, in combination with the recent property tax increase and some other sources, will generate $577,000.
In addition to the increase in parking meters, monthly parking rates in city lots will increase by $5. Parking pay stations will be installed in the MainStrasse neighborhood.
MainStrasse has served as Covington’s main entertainment district with free on-street parking. The plan would charge 35 cents per half hour on Main Street between Seventh and Fifth streets from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Sixth Street in MainStrasse would also have pay station parking. Certain portions would be residential parking only. Several lots, including the one on Fifth Street between Main and Philadelphia streets would become pay lots.
It will take at least 90 days before the city gets the parking equipment in place, city officials said.
The parking increases are expected to generate $202,000 for the city in a year.
The property tax increase approved in August will generate another $200,000.
City staff will work to find other ways to free up money for more police, fire and other city services, Klein said.
The new businesses and developments under construction in Covington made Covington leaders optimistic about the future.
“The growth downtown is obvious,” said City Commissioner Steve Frank. “The projects have yet to generate the revenue, but that’s coming. I believe we are now in a position where we are going to be able to afford a number of the things we all want to have, including adequate levels of police and fire.”