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LAKE GENEVA’S PARKING MESS

 Parking continues to be a struggle in Lake Geneva. With the recent change in hourly rates (four dollars, $4.00, per hour) during the weekend, and the inflated traffic ticket price ($50 dollars!), locals are feeling much more than a little frustrated.  Most locals are well aware that there is no real penalty to be paid in getting one of the pricey tickets for being late back to the meter, not for most tourists, simply because Illinois has no reciprocal agreement with Wisconsin to collect violation charges.  Once again, the locals pay the tab.

The busy summer season is also fast approaching, and the lack of parking spaces available, even to those locals with free three-hour parking stickers, will become a huge burden for downtown employees who also live in or out of the city. The business improvement district (BID) continues to advocate for employees, trying to make the city officials aware of the problem and asking them for help with this important issue. Not only do business owners want to supply adequate parking for their employees, who obviously cannot pay four dollars an hour while at work, but they also want safe and convenient parking away from store fronts, thereby leaving spots for potential patrons.

The city put together an Ad hoc committee to brainstorm solutions for this problem, and other parking issues, except that committee is barred from discussing either the price of the new parking or the fines for being late back to the meter. The BID (Business Improvement District) repeatedly presented the idea of a shuttle service for employees that would allow them to park remotely and ride into town on a shuttle that would run continuously. The BID and city officials have discussed the idea, but with no success, as neither the BID nor the city want to take on the responsibility of its cost.

The public works department is also working on the issue, and has researched the idea of a shuttle service, plus looking at the financials a little closer. The city’s parking manager, Seth Elder, reached out to Jones Bus service to get estimates about what the cost of having shuttles might be. The owner of Jones Travel shared the potential cost of a new trolley.  That specialized vehicle’s cost could easily run up to $250,000. If the city provided the trolley, then it could manage, hire, pay, and store the vehicle in Elkhorn, where Jones is based. The city would be responsible for paying for the vehicle, maintenance, and insurance. Jones would be willing to provide the maintenance services for a fee of $100 per hour. Driver wages would be approximately $22 an hour, while operating eight and a half hours a day in most cases.

If the City of Lake Geneva is looking to have its own drivers, then Jones would be willing to assist in training and hiring a driver at a cost of $2,000 per driver, per acquisition.  That would be charged to the city. If the city was looking to hire Jones services to include the vehicle, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and driver then Jones estimated that the fee would be about $1,000 a day. This price was on track with other driving services’ numbers surveyed. The Lake Geneva Party Bus Company also indicated that the preliminary cost discussed could be met by their operation (John and Becca Schnabl). The city’s parking manager, Seth, has also had his share of experience with shuttle services in Lake Geneva with city event parking.  Seth stated that the shuttle costs are in line with what he has come to expect over the years.

The City of Lake Geneva employee parking issue is far from resolved, as no one seems willing to take on the enormous costs and logistics of building and operating such an undertaking.  The problem isn’t even close to being figured out, much less the funding of such an obviously expensive service made available.  Depending upon the results of the coming election, where th major architect of the parking price increases is up for a very contentious re-election effort(Hedlund’s).  No matter what, however, the inundation of tourists will no doubt begin  in full force in only a few months.