June 13, 2017: Leonard Roseman, chairman of the Metuchen Parking Authority, stepped down from his post early as the agency transfers much of its responsibility to Nexus Parking Systems that runs the Pearl Street parking deck.

Roseman resigned the post as of April, according to documents from the June 5 Borough Council meeting. His term was set to expire at the end of 2018.

Parking Authority Commissioner John DeFoe, agreed to become chair of the agency, Councilman Jay Muldoon said in an email to BBB. The Mayor will name someone to fill the vacancy on the Authority, Muldoon said.

Roseman said the time was right to step down from the Agency.

“My favorite history professor warned us about hanging around too long. The MPA reduced staff, moved to new quarters at Borough Hall, has a cooperative service agreement with the borough, and a great relationship with Nexux,” Roseman wrote in an email to BBB. “Seemed like a good time for an old guy to retire.”

Borough Council has worked to shrink the Authority this year, moving to three employees from five and removing Executive Director Thomas Crownover for a part-time business administrator. The Authority hired resident Cory Zaneto as the part-time business manager.

The Authority also entered an agreement with borough Public Works Department for plowing and other maintenance at remaining parking lots, Muldoon said at a Council meeting in November.

The reorganization is expected to save the borough about $50,000 for 2017.

The decision was made to shrink the organization as part of the development of the Pearl Street parking lot. That lot was the Parking Authority’s largest, and with Nexus Parking Systems managing the 750-space parking deck, the Authority has a reduced scope of responsibility, Muldoon said.

Metuchen’s Parking Authority leased the land for the parking garage to Nexus, which financed construction of the structure. The Parking Authority will receive 30 percent of net income from the parking facility, Roseman told BBB in a prior interview.

“The PA budget for 2017 will anticipate $60,000 income from Nexus. As occupancy increases the PA income will increase. My own estimate is $90,000 to $100,000 after a year or two,” Roseman said.