Officials: Downtown Knoxville to undergo a parking meter makeover

Knoxville city leaders released new details Thursday about the upgraded parking meter system headed to Gay Street and surrounding areas this July.

Deputy to the Mayor and City of Knoxville Chief Policy Officer Bill Lyons said most parking meter rates haven't changed in more than a decade.

"We're having all new meters with new technology, and we're going to have meters on Gay Street," Lyons said. "And we're going to have a consistent two-hour limit on the meters in the core of downtown."

Each meter will feature sensors to show which and when spaces are being occupied. They will also accept credit card payments.

“Our entire pricing mechanism is based on turnover on the on-street parking, and we’ve had to adjust our rates to more market standards for that to happen," Lyons said. "But as long as we have free nights and weekends at the garages, everybody has the very easy option of just parking in the garage and walking a pretty short amount.”

Besides free parking after 6 p.m. and on weekends in city garages, meter rates are generally on the rise.

Short-term on-street spots will cost $1.50 per hour with a two-hour maximum stay. Monthly rates in city garages will go up to $5 per month, with downtown residents only required to pay half of that.

Long-term parking spaces will be 30 cents per hour with a 10-hour maximum stay. Those meters will be on the northern half of the Gay Street Viaduct, Depot Avenue and South Central Street.

“Gay Street and right around Market Square, meters will be enforced on Saturdays now, not on Sundays," Lyons added. "Right now, they’re not enforced on Saturday.”

But monthly daytime commuter parking at the Coliseum will decrease to $15 per month, accompanied with additional trolley routes from that garage every 7 to 8 minutes all day on weekends.

Rhonda Byrd lives right on Gay Street, and she said the new meters could help free up spaces she's always on the hunt for.

 “I think it will help the rollover time to where people will have more opportunities to park on the street," Byrd said. “When you come back for groceries, you have to see if there’s a spot anywhere around that you might be able to park for just a minute of time to take your groceries upstairs.”

 More installments later on will include parking apps for the meters, garage technology and evaluations on the new installments.

Office of Redevelopment changes

With the impending retirement of Office of Redevelopment Director Bob Whetsel, Mayor Madeline Rogero announced today two promotions to fill the top jobs in the department.

Effective Aug. 31, Dawn Michelle Foster, Deputy Director of Redevelopment, will be promoted to Director, reporting to Deputy to the Mayor and Chief Policy Officer Bill Lyons. Anne Wallace, the department’s Project Manager, will become Deputy Director.

“We are fortunate to have two such skilled and experienced professionals to move up into these positions,” Mayor Rogero said. “Dawn Michelle and Anne bring a wealth of knowledge, and they are already deeply engaged with the community. These well-deserved promotions will ensure continuity in our many ongoing projects.”

Foster, who has a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Tennessee, joined the City in 2012. Prior to that, she worked for 22 years as a senior transportation planner and construction project manager for Wilbur Smith Associates (now CDM Smith), the international transportation and infrastructure engineering firm. As Deputy Director of Redevelopment, she has had primary responsibility for the South Waterfront and Magnolia Avenue corridor.

Wallace has a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Auburn University and is an AICP certified planner. She worked as a planner for the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission before coming to the City in 2008. As Project Manager, she has overseen the Cumberland Avenue Corridor and Downtown Wayfinding projects, as well as redevelopment efforts in the Downtown North area and brownfield assessments at former industrial properties across the city.

In addition, the Office of Redevelopment will be filling two Project Manager positions: one to replace Wallace, and one that was approved in the current year’s budget to handle the volume of projects under way and anticipated in the near future.

Rodgers, Lyons to talk amendments

Inside Tennessee this Sunday (9:30 a.m.) on WBIR 10News will feature Knox County Elections Administrator Cliff Rodgers and Bill Lyons, chief of staff/deputy mayor/second- or third-in-command/whatever he's got a million titles to Mayor Madeline Rogero.

Photo by Jon Gustin

As always, John Becker will moderate and (Democrat) and local attorney Don Bosch and (Republican) PR gal Susan Richardson Williams will serve on the panel. (I was out this week, busting into the scoop machine.)

Heh. Get all that?

Good, Cliff and Bill will be talking about the proposed amendment changes to the state Constitution and the proposed changes to the city's pension plan. And nope, I'm not going to explain 'em today.

Check out the show on Sunday.

Mayor-elect Rogero announces spin team

OK, this sucker just came out of left field.

At first, anyway.

Jesse Fox Mayshark, former Sentinel reporter, former New Yorker and now former beer-drinking-hell-raising Metro Pulse editor, has taken a job with Knoxville Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero.

As I think about it, however, the whole thing makes sense. Hippies hire hippies.

Heh.

Although he might not be looking the part much longer.

According to Wild Bill Lyons (who has lots of new job titles but still pretty much runs city government): "There might be a different look."

Anyhoo, no word yet on how much coin traitor Jesse will make. (Lyons said he didn't know at this point.)

In addition, Rogero hired Angela Starke. I don't know her. I heard she used to work for the Sentinel and served as a reporter at WVLT-TV. I don't read the paper and I do not watch TV news, so . . . . Never heard of her.

UPDATE: Benedict Mayoral-Shark just wrote, saying he will get a haircut and there are rumors that he'll go on a tie-shopping expedition. Personally, we must be vigilant on reporting who pays for the ties. There is ample opportunity for graft here.

Here's the official spin job released by the city earlier today:

Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero announced today that she has appointed two experienced Knoxville journalists to communications positions in her new administration.

Angela Starke, weekend anchor and reporter at WVLT-TV, will become senior director of communications, and Jesse Fox Mayshark, managing editor of Metro Pulse, will be communications manager.

“During my campaign, I promised an open and transparent administration, and these appointments will help me carry out that pledge,” Rogero said. “Angela and Jesse bring an understanding of what media organizations need to cover city government, and they share my commitment to openness and the public’s right to know.”

In their roles, Starke will help develop strategies to communicate the administration’s programs and initiatives, and Mayshark will be responsible for day-to-day relationships with the news media.

Before joining WVLT, Starke was a reporter for WJLA TV/ABC 7 News, the network affiliate in Washington, D.C., covering local and national stories. In 2008, she won an Achievement Award from the Time to Fly Foundation for stories on domestic violence.

She began her career at the Gainesville, Texas, newspaper and then reported and held editing positions for several newspapers, including the Washington Post and USA Today. She is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority and has been active with the Society of Professional Journalists.

Mayshark is a former editor of Metro Pulse who returned to Knoxville last year to become managing editor at the publication. He first joined Metro Pulse in 1997 and became editor in 2000. He left in 2002 to become an editor in The New York Times news service department and while there contributed to the paper’s Arts section.

Prior to joining Metro Pulse, Mayshark was a reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Rogero names two to top city positions

I'm kind of busy today and don't have time to be a smart ass (an ass, maybe, but smart - no), so I'll just post Knoxville Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero's spin release as presented. Besides, I don't even cover the city. (I love using that line. Heh.)

Anyhoo, Rogero named Eddie Mannis and Bill “Wild Man” Lyons to some top deputy positions. (Actually, Lyons was already a top deputy, but I digress.)

So:

Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero today announced the appointment of two top deputies to the mayor in her administration, citing their excellent backgrounds to help carry out the city’s initiatives.

Eddie Mannis, owner of Prestige Cleaners, will serve as chief operating officer/deputy to the mayor, and Bill Lyons, current senior director of policy and communications for the city, will become chief policy officer/deputy to the mayor.

“I am grateful that these two very capable individuals have agreed to serve in leading roles for our new administration,” Rogero said.

“Eddie’s extensive background in business and the community will make sure that we are providing the highest and most efficient level of service to the public possible, and Bill’s experience in developing a number of important civic programs will help achieve my goal of ensuring that all the people of Knoxville have a voice in what the city does.”

Mannis will take a leave of absence from Prestige Cleaners, a business he started in 1985. By emphasizing quality in operations, Mannis grew Prestige to become one of the leading corporate citizens in Knoxville.

Mannis and Prestige Cleaners started the popular HonorAir Knoxville program that recognizes the service and sacrifice of our region’s World War II and Korean War veterans. He has led many flights to Washington, D.C., for veterans all expenses paid to view memorials in their honor. He serves as chair of the Dogwood Arts Festival board of directors and is a member of the board of the Knoxville Chamber.

“I am very excited about joining this administration and helping the mayor-elect carry out her vision for moving Knoxville forward,” Mannis said. “I plan to use my business experience to help manage the city’s resources efficiently and make sure that the programs of this administration are carried out in the most effective manner possible.”

Lyons worked closely with Rogero in the Bill Haslam mayoral administration while she was director of community development for the city.

At the city, Lyons developed an urban growth approach that focused on the city’s core neighborhoods. He co-chaired the public process for the Downtown North redevelopment district and co-chaired the task force that recommended the Office of Neighborhoods be created.

He created the position of sustainability coordinator that led to the city’s Solar America Cities designation, the LEED certification of the Transit Center, and along with the mayor-elect co-chaired the Energy and Sustainability Task Force.

Lyons led the process that guided downtown redevelopment and supported reuse of historic buildings through disciplined use of PILOT and TIF funding mechanisms. As former chair of Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, he led the public process that led to the redevelopment of Market Square, the addition of the Market Square Parking Garage, and the Regal movie theater downtown.

“I appreciate the opportunity to continue serving the city and mayor-elect Rogero in this new role,” Lyons said. “I look forward to developing strategy and helping manage the positive public initiatives planned by this new administration.”

Dr. Lyons is on leave from the political science department at the University of Tennessee, and the Bill Lyons Pavilion on Market Square is named after him for his previous service to the city and his role in downtown development.

Padgett, Rogero on new administration

OK, so we know that the two Knoxville Mayoral candidates - Madeline “Mad Dog” Rogero and Mark “The Plan” Padgett – will keep police Chief David Rausch when one of them takes office.

But what about senior director of policy and communications Billy Lyons and Larry Martin, deputy to the mayor?

I'll start with Rogero, because that one's pretty quick. Because she didn't say much.

“I don't really want to talk about it at this point,” she said. “But I've worked with a lot of them (city employees) for years, and I know the people and I know their talents. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.”

No mention that, uh, a few of them over there are helping her out.

Now for Padgett.

He said he'd ask them “a lot of question.” He was referring more to how the city works and gauging their ideas. He said “I'm not sure who will stay.”

Then, he said this: “But to have someone who has been raising money against you everyday and talking negatively about you every day – well, it's hard to reconcile that.”

I then asked him if he meant Lyons and Martin. Cause, you know, I wanted to make sure he heard the question clearly. He said: “Well, I don't know, but there's people in the city who have been doing that.”

Uh, OK. But there's probably people in the city who “have been doing that” to Regero, too.

I specifically asked him about Lyons and Martin again and he said “there's a lot to learn from them”

He added: “There's definitely people there who would stay. There's definitely people I'll ask to stay. You won't see me come in and slash and burn. That's not something I want or plan to do.”

As he put it: “That's really an important thing (about electing a mayor) because when you think about me and Madeline, you have to think about what type of people will we'll surround ourselves with.”

Finally, he noted that – no matter whether it's him or Rogero in office – it might not even be up to them who stays.