03/23/2006

Parking chief storing his vintage car in Hardy deck

Commissioner Scrudato is upset over use

By
Record-Eagle staff writer

An older-model Lincoln Continental belonging to Gil Rupp, city parking administrator, has been parked in the lower level of the Larry C. Hardy parking deck in downtown Traverse City with a flat tire since mid-November.

TRAVERSE CITY — Gil Rupp, the city's parking administrator, towed his cream-colored, black-topped Lincoln Continental to the Larry C. Hardy public parking deck last fall.

The collector car has collected dust since Nov. 19, when Rupp parked it on the transient floor of the city deck on State Street.

The flivver's front tire is flat and license plate out-of-date.

There's a hub cap on the front seat, but Rupp doesn't understand the hubbub. Why, he wondered, has his motorcar miffed city commissioner Deni Scrudato?

The city commissioner walked through the deck last week and spied the ride. She peppered city officials with questions about parking deck policies for stored and immobile vehicles.

"It was just covered with a layer of grime and a flat tire. It is cock-eyed in the space," Scrudato said.

"Since when is this the purpose behind having a parking deck? When did the rules change, who changed them and by what authority?" she said.

Rupp can't figure out the fuss.

"I am paying for it," said Rupp. "This is ridiculous. I am very upset about this."

Nine cars currently are stored in the deck, a service for car owners who want to keep their cruiser safe while they are "going on cruises," or for other reasons, Rupp said.

The storage fee is the same price as permit parking. It's $45 a month, or $100 for three months. Rupp said his tab will be $190 for November through March.

Scrudato said if the city allows car storage, there should be a policy. Are unlicensed cars allowed? What about vehicles that don't run, she asked.

Rupp said there isn't a written policy for storage.

"It was an administrative decision to take advantage of additional revenues in the parking deck, as long as we had space to accommodate," Rupp said.

The Hardy deck, opened in 2003, is four stories tall and has 540 spots. It's generally about half full, city data shows.

The city commission last month approved a city bond issue of up to $16 million to pay for a 500-plus space public parking ramp and other improvements on West Front Street. Scrudato cast the lone no vote.

Rupp said his wheels will be out next week.

"I will have it out of here come hell or high water. I don't want to hold up the progress of the city commissioner," he said.