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When it comes to parking in downtown Salt Lake City, it's back to the future.

The newfangled and troubled parking system introduced in spring 2012 is scheduled for major surgery.

Monday on The Salt Lake Tribune's live-streamed news program, Trib Talk, Mayor Ralph Becker said the system, recognized by its blue, solar-powered kiosks, would get "a complete overhaul."

"We've had many, too many, glitches in this system," Becker told moderator Jennifer Napier-Pearce.

The $4.1 million system was sold to Salt Lake City by Aparc Systems as a high-tech replacement for 2,100 coin-operated meters. The 344 kiosks that replaced them were designed to take credit cards and smartphone apps for payment, as well as coins.

But the mayor conceded the system has been fraught with problems. Among them are that kiosks would not take some or any credit cards. Keypads were not lighted and difficult to use at night. Not least, motorists have complained of being ticketed when time remained on the meter.

In late June 2013, the system went offline for two weeks due to high temperatures.

Juneau, Alaska, dumped its Aparc system last year because it was too troublesome.

Becker said Monday that Aparc Systems had gone out of business. But more accurately, Aparc may have modified some of its operations after a significant cash investment from the private equity group of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P.

Becker spokesman Art Raymond explained that Salt Lake City's parking system was getting new hardware as well as new software. A pilot project has been ongoing for several months.

No date has been announced for the overhaul.

The face of the kiosks will look more like an ATM machine, Raymond noted. "This is a system upgrade that will get us to where we intended to be when the system was originally purchased."

City Council Chairman Charlie Luke remains skeptical. He said Monday that he is hesitant to endorse a fix that may be pouring more money into what has been a boondoggle.

"Clearly what we currently have isn't working," he said. "I sincerely hope that what the administration is recommending is something they've done more homework on than the last time around."

Raymond said the overhaul won't cost the city additional money beyond the original $4.1 million contract. Twenty percent of the amount — $820,000 — was withheld pending successful completion of the contract. It was never paid and the city is now using it for the improvements, Raymond said.