Cedarhurst village installs new meters

A three-month pilot program launched by the Village of Cedarhurst has put 19 new parking meters covering 33 parking stalls on Central Avenue between Cedarhurst Avenue and Spruce Street.
The new meters installed by Minneapolis-based Municipal Parking Systems — at no cost to the village — includes coin and credit card payment, touch screen operation and information on the local weather. “We are testing them and will see how the community feels about them,” said Trustee Ari Brown.
Brown said should the village retain the meters, more will be installed, but not all of the village’s 1,900 meters will be replaced. Most likely the ones in Cedarhurst’s main shopping and business district.
He also said that the village is not looking to eliminate the one full-time and three part-time meter readers Cedarhurst employs. Brown said they are still needed for the other meters, to read registration and inspection stickers and view “out-of-stall” parking. He added state law requires having meter readers. The village collects approximately $2 million annually from the meters and court fines, Brown said.
Important messages, emergency alerts and targeted advertising can broadcast through the meters. They also have two-way communications. Each meter has an eight-inch high-definition color touch screen, speakers and a microphone. A Smartphone app could be set up to refill the meter. “These meters work differently than the old meters — they are interactive and dynamic and take credit cards as well as quarters,” said Mayor Andrew Parise.
Some users looked perplexed when first using the new meters, but it appeared that parking spots on Central Avenue were filled last Friday, Oct. 3. The minimum credit card payment of $1 was Far Rockaway resident Moshe Klausner’s only complaint. “I like the ability to use the credit card,” he said.