Fee would just produce profit, vice chancellor says.
By Katherine Garcia
kgarcia203@student.alamo.edu
Drivers will not be charged an extra fee to park in this college’s original or Tobin garage and the Northwest Vista garage in the fall, if the board of trustees approves a proposal at the regular monthly meeting Tuesday.
The proposal was forwarded from the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee, which approved a minute order rescinding a $1 garage entry fee approved May 23, 2013.
Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, presented an update on the $1 fee, which had never been put into effect.
Snyder said the fee would have provided funding to break even on several projects, such as the debt service on the Northwest Vista parking garage and the capital revolving fund used to build the Tobin garage and maintain parking areas and parking garages and as well as provide $250,000 for scholarships.
She said the fee would have started when all three garages were open, but she said she has updated calculations since then.
The Northwest Vista garage opened in October, and the old garage at this college opened in January 2008. Tobin garage opened March 17.
“Based on the current volumes of the campus access fees that are paid by all students, we can now break even without having to charge the dollar per use for our students and employees,” she explained.
The district instituted a campus access fee of $50 per year in fall 2012, which is charged to all students.
According to the minute order, free parking means the $1.5 to $2 million cost to add kiosks to the three garages would be eliminated, and the $250,000 in student scholarships, maintenance and debt service can be funded without the additional revenue.
The arms the old garage, installed in January, will not be removed, said John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of facilities.
In an phone interview Thursday, Snyder gave another reason for the security measures to stay in the garages. She said a possible future measure would involve students, faculty and staff to present their ACCD ID at the garage entrance to deter outsiders from using the garage.
According to minute orders from a May 14, 2013, Building, Grounds and Sites Selection Committee, Kratos Public Safety and Security Solutions Inc. was awarded $823,381 for the purchase of “access control components” for the old garage, $480,755 for the Tobin garage and $496,231 for the Northwest Vista garage.
The full board meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Killen Center, 201 W. Sheridan.