As readers may recall from Beaufort Insider’s December 2nd article, on November 15th 2024, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office (SCAG) released an opinion stating that “municipalities may not delegate parking enforcement to private entities.” Following that release, Beaufort Insider inquired about the City of Beaufort’s relationship with Park Beaufort, a service provided by SP+ / Metropolis, to manage and enforce parking regulations in the city for nearly a decade. The City was asked the following questions:
- Does the city want to comment about how they plan to address that Park Beaufort, owned by SP+ / Metropolis, currently has control over parking enforcement in Beaufort in light of the AG’s opinion?
- How much revenue does the city receive from Park Beaufort? Or, how much does the city pay Park Beaufort for their services?
- How long is the city’s agreement with Park Beaufort and when does it end?
- Does the Beaufort Police Department have enough staff/manpower to take over parking enforcement?
The FOIA request produced over 100 documents, including financial reports, labor analyses, and lease agreements. When looking at revenue paid to the City, it’s important to note that none of the documents provided a comprehensive overview of payments made back to the City of Beaufort. Also, not every month is accounted for, making it difficult to determine the financial benefits of the city’s relationship with Park Beaufort. Some of the most detailed reports date back more than five years, while more recent records provide less insight. Based on the information available, between 2015 and 2020, Metropolis garnered an average monthly revenue of $47,048. In 2024, the net operating income (NOI) per month on average was approximately $17,087.
Although Park Beaufort, or Metropolis, has been doing business with the City since 2015, the current parking enforcement contract has been in effect since May 29th, 2020. The contract for parking enforcement does not have a termination date, only noting May 31st, 2025 as the last day before the lease continues, given neither party terminates the agreement. This contract also states that the city of Beaufort will cover almost all monthly expenses for Metropolis, plus a 4% management fee.
Beyond the financials, the fact remains that the contractual agreement itself is illegitimate, which has been confirmed under the SCAG’s opinion. It is disturbing that the City continues to remain silent and has yet to acknowledge these concerns. Will the city at least reach out to the SCAG’s office for clarity on their new opinion? City Officials have yet to provide an answer, nor have they addressed potential alternative solutions, such as creating an independent, city-run parking enforcement division. If Beaufort is forced to take over parking enforcement, does the city (or the Beaufort Police Department) have the resources to do so?
The City’s lease at 500 Carteret is set to end in June of this year, so residents should expect some action to be taken in the coming months.
The following questions remain:
- Will the City renew it’s lease at 500 Carteret with Park Beaufort?
- What is the city’s plan for parking enforcement moving forward? Will the city take over parking enforcement in compliance with the AG’s opinion, or will it continue with a private contractor, possibly risking further legal challenges?
- Could the Beaufort Police Department be tasked with handling parking enforcement, and if so, does it have the necessary resources to do so effectively?
- Has the city explored alternative solutions, such as bringing Park Beaufort under the umbrella of the City of Beaufort, or creating an in-house parking enforcement division?
Beaufort Insider will continue investigating the situation further and provide updates on whether the city plans to comply with the SCAG’s opinion or continue its current arrangements with Park Beaufort. Download the Beaufort Insider app for updates.
Hear more about this story and more on our podcast Beaufort Voice. This story and other recent news will be discussed on the “Beaufort Under Fire: What’s Going on With Local Leadership?” episode.
