City Officials Reject Star Park Protest on Garage Contract

City of Portland Procurement Officer Christine Moody has rejected a second protest of the city's intention to award a three-year contract to manage its six SmartPark garages to Nashville-based Central Parking System.

Earlier, Moody rejected a protest from City Center Parking, Portland's largest parking company and the holder of the city contract from 1985 to 2003. Subsequently, in a May 19 letter [PDF] to the current contract holder, Star Park, Moody said that company's letter of protest came in after deadline and lacked merit:



It is unclear what will happen next. Moody's letters to City Center and Smart Park regarding the contract (which brings in about $10 million per year), say her rulings are "final" and not subject to review.

Roy Jay, of the African American Chamber of Commerce, is working with the apparent contract winner, Central Parking System.

But according to the contract Star Park and its minority chamber of commerce partners signed with the City of Portland in 2003, those chambers of commerce are bound to a partnership with Star Park, which is still operating the garages.