WRAP will run downtown parking

WARREN -- Having a nonprofit economic and community development agency manage downtown parking bodes well for the revitalization of the city's central business district, Mayor Michael O'Brien said Wednesday.
Beginning Monday, Warren Redevelopment and Planning will assume the management of the city's Franklin Street parking deck and become the enforcer of on-street parking time limits and metered parking rules.
"They will be directly committed to, and have complete control over, the parking downtown," the mayor said.
WRAP's parking management role will help "fortify the downtown development through the use of parking," and the parking deck, he added.
WRAP was the sole bidder on downtown parking management.
The city will pay WRAP between $83,000 and $89,000 annually over the three-year contract awarded to WRAP by the city's board of control.
WRAP employees will now operate the parking deck and ticket downtown parking violators. Most recently, USA Parking, a for-profit company, has been performing these functions.