Evanston will eliminate cashier jobs at the Church Street and Maple Avenue parking garages under a plan approved by the City Council Monday.

The plan will spend $821,000 to buy new parking access and revenue control systems for the city’s two older garages to match the system in place at the new Sherman Plaza garage.

The new equipment will let drivers pay their parking fees at machines in the garage lobbies without having to interact with a cashier.

It will also let an attendant at the Sherman Plaza garage speak to customers at either of the other garages to resolve problems with the equipment during off hours.

City officials say they will continue to have security guards in all three garages at all times.

City staff estimates that the salary reductions will recover the cost of buying the new systems in 2.4 years. They estimate that the new systems should last between seven and 10 years.

The new equipment from DataPark, Inc. is to be installed by Revcon Technology Group of Addison, Ill.

Bill Smith is the editor and publisher of Evanston Now.

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