Longtime LexPark director resigns to take different position

The longtime director of the city’s downtown parking authority will leave Wednesday to take another position, LexPark’s board chair announced Tuesday.

Gary Means has been executive director of LexPark since 2007.

Means has taken an executive position with Pivot Parking, a private parking company, said Jim Frazier, the chairman of the Lexington Fayette Parking Authority. LexPark is currently searching for a new director.

“It’s difficult to overstate the positive impact that the tenure of Gary Means has had on parking in Lexington,” said Frazier. “Without Gary’s breadth of knowledge, competence and leadership, our city and its parking would not be operating at the exceptional level that it is today.”

Means’ departure comes after a tumultuous increase to parking rates and expansion of enforcement hours this year. Those rate and enforcement hour changes were necessary after a drop in revenues caused by the coronavirus pandemic, changes to street parking and adding state sales tax to parking rates, LexPark officials said. After pushback, enforcement hours were changed.

In response, the state legislature passed a law earlier this year requiring LexPark to get prior approval from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council before a rate increase can take effect.

Means oversaw the upgrade and necessary fixes of the city’s three parking garages, which were given to LexPark by the city, Frazier said.

LexPark spent millions fixing the garages, improving lighting and upping security in the downtown garages.

Also during Means’ tenure, LexPark started its popular “Food for Fines” program, which allowed people to pay fines with canned goods during the holiday season. The food went to God’s Pantry Food Pantry. The Food for Fines program has been duplicated by other parking authorities.

Frazier said Means leaves the authority and the city’s garages in a much stronger position.

“In sixteen years, we have gone from outdated on-street parking meters to advanced systems that make it easier than ever to park in Lexington and promote downtown businesses,” Frazier said. “We have turned crumbling taxpayer-funded facilities into award-winning self-supporting garages with consistent and ongoing improvements to safety and security.”