OAK ISLAND — Four days after approving a parking management firm, Oak Island Town Council unanimously voted to rescind its proposal.
NC Parking Co., the management company the town initially approved, guaranteed Oak Island $400,000 profit in its proposal. A second parking management services company, Lanier Parking, estimated the town’s profits at about half of that, approximately $200,000.
Related: Oak Island to ‘reconsider’ proposal it just approved to implement paid parking services
Oak Island does not currently charge for parking at any of its 1,100 spots across the island. The town is aiming to implement a parking system, with the help of a management firm, for the 2019 season.
After hearing proposals from both NC Parking Co. and Lanier Parking, Council voted 3-2 to approve NC Parking Co.’s proposal. The proposal was later amended to earmark profits earned as restricted for beach renourishment projects.
Oak Island announced its special meeting on Feb. 20. And on Saturday, Feb. 23, Council voted 5-0 to rescind its decision to approve NC Parking Co.’s proposal earlier that week.
At the meeting when Council approved the firm’s proposal, the town’s attorney said accepting a proposal is just a first step. A contract agreement, he said, would be necessary to begin implementation.
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