The change to a new automated parking system at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport is off to a rough start, and airport commissioners said last week that they’re not happy about it.

“There continue to be numerous problems,” commission chairman Bob Rosenbaum told LAZ Parking general manager Scott Woodbine at the commission meeting last Thursday. “It has been clear to me that from when this thing was turned on, it hasn’t been ready for prime time.”

A few commissioners said they had experienced problems navigating the new system and had received multiple complaints from visitors since the parking machines were installed on June 1.

Concerns included difficulties using the Island Card for a discount, reaching the machine to get the printout ticket and a lack of outreach to the Vineyard community about the changes.

Assistant airport manager Geoffrey Freeman agreed with commissioners that the new system has caused some headaches, but he said complaints have dropped significantly over the past month.

He added that the new system services the airport much better than the previous honor system, which he said was subject to abuse.

“A new system like this will have trial and error, but we’re providing a service,” Mr. Freeman said.

The airport bought the parking system earlier this year for $140,000 using a $106,000 state grant. LAZ Parking takes 15 per cent of revenues from the machines for managing the system.

Mr. Woodbine said machines at the long and short-term lots took in $21,000 in fees in June.

Commissioners agreed to hold off on paying LAZ any fees until the problems are satisfactorily resolved and advertisements are published in Island newspapers explaining the new system.

In other business Thursday, Edgartown businessman Louis Paciello told commissioners that he expects his new gas station and car wash in the airport business park to open sometime in August.

Mr. Rosenbaum chided Mr. Paciello for building delays, but Mr. Paciello said construction, which began in April, was held up by permitting issues and ongoing litigation with the previous owner of Airport Mobil, who vacated the site after the commission did not renew the lease.

At the close the meeting, former airport commission chairman Myron Garfinkle was recognized by commissioners for his three years of service on the board.

The commission then went into executive session, with Mr. Garfinkle attending, to discuss the litigation over the former Airport Mobil lease dispute.