Darien Seeks To Expand Payment Systems, Improve Parking Operations

DARIEN, CT — Darien First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky has had a goal to enhance efficiency at Town Hall, and last week in his bi-weekly newsletter, he gave an update on two initiatives aimed at expanding town payment systems and improving parking for residents.

Zagrodzky said the town has engaged with Clifton Larson Allen (CLA) to help expand available payment options to include all forms of electronic and app-based technologies.

"My hope is that this will facilitate easier payment for services, whether you are paying in person, online, or through an app," Zagrodzky said.

CLA started a study last month, and they uncovered related processes that will also need improvement, Zagrodzky said.

"For instance, certain purchases, such as beach stickers, require confirmation of Town residency. They found that the collection of residency information and the sharing of this information between departments is not currently possible," Zagrodzky said. "We will need to improve such processes if we want to maximize success of the overall effort. My goal is to make Darien the leading town in Connecticut for efficient, 21st-century payment systems!"

On parking, Zagrodzky said the town currently operates a complicated system that involves daily and permit parking and includes unpopular hanging tags, confusing signage and rules.

"We have recently partnered with Premium Parking. You may recognize this name – they manage parking at the SoNo shopping mall garage, among other places," Zagrodzky said. "I met with them at a municipal conference in December, and I learned that their advanced database technology can enable us to transition from hang tags to a license plate reader system, something other service providers we’ve consulted have been unable to offer."

An app from Premium Parking can also be used for both daily parking and parking permit renewals, Zagrodzky added. Longer term, the company can also help the town phase out beach and dump stickers.

"They can also collaborate with us to improve and clarify our signage and parking lot markings. Working with them has real potential for making parking in Darien a lot easier for everyone," Zagrodzky said, noting the town is currently determining which parking lots to target first.

Hanging tags are also used in downtown lots. Zagrodzky also said he wants to develop a clearer strategy for enhancing downtown parking first.

"As I said, the parking initiative is in its early stages, and it will take some time to implement these changes. Parking affects nearly all of us, and we’re creatures of habit used to doing things a certain way. I will make sure to roll this out cautiously and with ample communication and transparency," Zagrodzky said.

Those with suggestions should reach out to Zagrodzky at jzagrodzky@darienct.gov.

For more on Darien town newsletters, click here.