This isn't Monopoly.

Visitors to Town Hall shouldn't let the upcoming removal of the parking meters in the public garage there fool them into thinking there's free parking.

The town is in the process of replacing the garage's 260 meters with seven electronic pay stations, five of which are already in place.

The pay stations, which accept dollar bills, quarters and most major credit cards, excluding American Express, should be up and running by the middle of the month.

Users of the garage will be required to enter their space number into the machine before paying the parking rate, which is 75 cents an hour in the short-term area in the open-air upper level and 50 cents an hour in the long-term section on the two covered levels.

Allen Corry, the town's parking services director, acknowledged that there could be a bit of a learning curve.

"People don't like change, especially when you're used to doing something for so long," Corry said. "This takes some getting used to."

Only the meters on the bottom floor of the three-level parking structure will remain. They will be eventually replaced by next summer.

Corry said the pay stations, which cost $12,000 to $15,000 each, are more efficient and reduce the workload for the town's meter mechanics.

The goal, he said, is to install pay stations in most municipal lots downtown in place of meters, of which there are about 2,800 total. Several lots already have them.

"In the parking industry, that's where we're going," Corry said. "It's less labor intensive."

Another goal is to get the pay stations to accept pre-paid plastic cards that the town sells for use in its electronic parking meters, according to Corry, who said the town took in $170,000 in the most recent fiscal year from the cards.

Parking enforcement officers will be able to print out a report from the pay station itself showing which motorists have paid the fee or which have not.

The fine for not paying is $25.

First Selectman Peter Tesei said even he had to train himself to use the pay station the first time he encountered one.

"There's no question it will be challenging," Tesei said. "I know, myself, it took me a while to figure out how to work the one down on Soundview (Drive). In fact, I got a ticket several years ago."
