Mount Carmel hires parking enforcement officer


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MOUNT CARMEL - After a two-year hiatus, proper parking will be enforced in the business district thanks to a new parking enforcement officer hired by the borough.

Mount Carmel Borough Police Chief Brian Shurock has announced that William Spickler of Mount Carmel will begin patroling the streets beginning July 13. The chief said there had been no one to enforce the parking ordinances in the borough's business district since February 2007.

"Our parking ordinance provides for two-hour parking in the area of Oak Street and the surrounding streets, but we haven't had an officer in the position for quite some time," Shurock said. "We hope that this will settle a lot of the issues of parking on Oak Street."

The two-hour parking will be enforced on Oak Street from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. parking times on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Two-hour parking limits will be enforced on Oak Street, from Avenue to Sixth Streets, and on Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Streets, from Hickory and Maple Streets. Parking violations start at $5.

Those who want to park all day on the side streets can purchase a parking permit at the borough administration office. The permits will allow all-day parking on Second through Fifth Streets and are available on a monthly or bi-annual basis.

Passes cost $7.50 for a monthly pass and $40 for a six-month pass, but borough council is currently discussing possibly raising the prices on the permits.

"We encourage the business owners and employers to talk to their employees about the parking permits for the side streets and to have them prominently displayed on their dashboard at the prescribed times," Shurock said.

Spickler is not only the parking enforcement officer, but is an Act 120 certified police officer. He will handle all the calls in the business district, and work on a part-time basis.

"I am looking forward to serving the citizens of the borough and working with the business owners of downtown Mount Carmel," Spickler said.

Shurock said that in the beginning, warning cards will be issued for violators, informing them about the ordinance. There is no set date when the warnings will stop and tickets will be issued. Spickler will work on a random schedule.







3 posted comments

Will Mr. Spickler also be ticketing those illegally parked in the handicapped parking spaces? I hope so! We are a sorely neglected group.
Doc' Santer 07/04/2009 11:04
What an illogical and asinine idea for a dieing town.
Stan 07/04/2009 09:02
They worry about darn parking when a murderer is loose. Boy such brave policeman.... RIP Miss Stellfox...
Jow W. 07/04/2009 08:52

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