Vandergrift Council increases parking fines, eliminates free parking

Some motorists and pedestrians navigating the sidewalks and streets of Vandergrift are asking questions about the recent appearance of bagged parking meters throughout the borough.

“I had a customer ask me what was going on,” said Allusion Brewing Co. co-owner Robert Buchanan. “The bags look trashy. That’s the first thing my customers see when they pull up to our business.”

Borough officials recently were ordered by the Westmoreland County Bureau of Weights and Measures to cover all of the meters with plastic bags because they aren’t certified by a parking meter inspector, according to Borough Secretary Steve DelleDonne.

The move comes after council voted in February to increase parking fines and eliminated free boroughwide parking on Thursdays.

Additionally, council voted to hire a part-time meter enforcement officer. The previous meter officer retired about two years ago.

Two public events, Gathering on Grant and the weekly farmers market, are held on Thursdays.

Vandergrift resident Rae Ann Bruner is spearheading efforts to hold officials accountable. She wants the borough to fix the damaged parking meters and have them certified.

DelleDonne said council raised the maximum parking meter fine from $15 to $25.

Police Chief Joe Caporali said the standard overtime parking fine was raised from $3 to $5. The maximum fines, he said, are reserved for illegally parked cars, not those that have simply exceeded the metered time.

When asked Tuesday the reason for the increase in fines, DelleDonne said it’s because “other communities are increasing fines.”

Solicitor Larry Loperfito said Tuesday he didn’t know the reason for council’s actions during February’s meeting and said no one spoke against the proposed increase.

Vandergrift Mayor Lenny Collini on Tuesday said he would not comment.

Councilmembers Daisha Clayton, Jody Sarno, John Uskuraitis, Tom Holmes, Kathy Chvala and Christine Wilson did not return requests for comment.

Councilwoman Marilee Kessler declined to comment Tuesday.

DelleDonne did not provide a timeline for when the meters would be inspected and said a meter enforcement officer had not yet been hired.

Bruner contacted the office of state Rep. Abby Major, R-Leechburg, for assistance in contacting the state Department of Agriculture to verify whether Vandergrift was in compliance with the state law.

“About half of the meters in town are broken, inaccurate or jammed,” Bruner said. “Some are unable to be read because the glass is discolored and you can’t see the time.”

Bad for business?

Buchanan said Tuesday he is concerned the amended parking ordinance may be bad for business.

Joyce Hanz | Tribune-Review

A bagged parking meter along Grant Avenue is slated for inspection by the Westmoreland County Bureau of Weights and Measures.

“I know that no matter how much people love our businesses, if they are upset with the town over a $25 parking ticket, they may think twice about visiting,” Buchanan said. “As a business owner in Vandergrift, I’ve always had mixed feelings about the metered parking. On one hand, I would love free parking for my customers. On the other hand, residents that live in these buildings would park there unchecked without meters.”

Some residents appear to know which meters are broken, Buchanan said, and he has seen cars parked in the same spots for days in a row without moving.

“If all the meters were working, ticket fees were moderate (he estimates $3 to $5) and there was a consistent policy in place for parking, there would be no reason for argument,” Buchanan said.

Several other Vandergrift business owners declined to comment Tuesday, and one business owner on Grant Avenue said they feared retaliation from borough officials if they commented publicly.

Bruner said she contacted the Trib about the broken, jammed and inaccurate meters because residents and visitors to Vandergrift deserve properly functioning meters.

“I felt it was appropriate for the residents and patrons to be assured the meters are accurate and functioning to avoid the hassle of having to appeal any parking meter ticket that isn’t valid under state law if they haven’t been inspected properly,” Bruner said. “Gas pumps, deli scales and more have to be certified under the Division of Weights and Measures, and parking meters are no different. When we pay for a unit of measure time, it should be accurate.”

A spokesperson from the Westmoreland County Bureau of Weights and Measures was not immediately available for comment.

Editor’s note: This story was changed to include the increase in standard overtime parking fines in the borough.