Parking Meters

Two weeks after parking meter rates doubled in Hagerstown, officials said the city will not enforce the fee on drivers with disabilities. Eric Deike, manager of the city Department of Public Works, said last week that he has been "directed" not to enforce parking meter fees for those with disability plates or placards who park in a metered space. Deike would not say who directed him to stop enforcement. Maryland exempts drivers with disabilities from paying parking meter fees in the state if the meters do not meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the state's Motor Vehicle Administration website.

Why do we need parking meters anyway? Using meters to regulate parking forces motorists to carry a pocketful of change and to remember when their meter's time expires, because if they don't, they'll get a ticket. But with a limited number of spaces, doing away with meters would encourage some people to park all day, leaving no spaces for those who only need to stop for a few minutes. The City of Frederick has a new-to-this-region twist on this old problem. In one block of downtown, the city has installed a pay-parking system that's been used in Europe for decades.

The worn-out parking meters in the 100 block of East Franklin Street could be removed after the Hagerstown City Council agreed Tuesday that replacing them would be too costly. Mayor Robert E. Bruchey II said after the council's Tuesday work session that a proposal to remove the meters would be introduced later this month. The 14 parking meters line the north side the 100 block of East Franklin Street, City Engineer Rodney Tissue said. Each meter uses the older "crank" method to accept coins, rather than the contemporary electronic method in which money is dropped directly into a slot, he said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Officials with the Borough of Waynesboro are looking for a way to sell old parking meters to collectors. Many of the meters set aside for sale accept pennies, while others take nickels and dimes. A stumbling block in the way, though, is a state law that requires municipalities to sell items as a lot if together they would be valued at more than $200. Borough Manager Lloyd Hamberger said he is working with the borough council's solicitor to determine a legal way to sell the meters individually and locally.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Starting Monday, motorists who let borough parking meters expire will be seeing yellow and that means tickets will cost $5. Waynesboro Police Chief Ray Shultz told the Borough Council Wednesday that the first batch of the new parking tickets are in and officers will start putting them on windshields next week. He was waving a pack of the new yellow tickets as he spoke. The council heard the news without comment. In April, the council adopted an ordinance that not only raised the basic fine for an expired parking meter from $2 to $5, but it authorized increases for other parking violations as well.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - The Martinsburg City Council unanimously decided Thursday night to spend about $55,318 to improve the appearance of the town's 560 parking meters. "It will dress up the place a little bit," Mayor George Karos said after leaders adjourned a meeting that lasted more than two hours. Council members awarded a $25,933 contact to Parker Systems for decorative metal sleeves and bases for the poles, and a $29,385 contract to Bohrer and Associates for painting the parking meter heads and crossbars.

Downtown Hagerstown holiday shoppers will get a 30-minute grace period for expired parking meters starting Monday, Dec. 7. This is the third year in a row the city has provided the grace period, said City Administrator Bruce Zimmerman. The grace period will last through Friday, Dec. 25, Zimmerman said. Notes will be left on the windshields of cars parked at expired meters notifying drivers of the 30 extra minutes they've been granted before a parking ticket is issued, he said.

charlestown@herald-mail.com CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Feeding parking meters to keep a parking space downtown could be coming to an end. The Charles Town City Council on Monday night gave final approval to several new parking changes, including elimination of parking meters on George and Washington streets. City officials had planned to replace old parking meters on the two streets as part of the town's $7.1 million revitalization, but later decided not to use the meters.

Downtown Hagerstown holiday shoppers will get a 30-minute grace period for expired parking meters starting Monday, Dec. 8. City Council members unanimously approved the program on Tuesday. This will be at least the second year for the grace period, said City Administrator Bruce Zimmerman. The grace period will last through Friday, Dec. 26, according to a memo from Police Chief Dale J. Jones to Zimmerman. A note will be left on the windshields of cars parked at expired meters notifying drivers of the 30 extra minutes they've been granted before a parking ticket is issued, officials said.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- The Martinsburg Police Department is seeking the community's assistance in solving a series of vandalism and grand larceny thefts involving more than a dozen parking meters in recent days. Police say the thefts were in the late evening or early morning between Dec. 16-22. The 13 parking meters were damaged and their coin boxes and contents taken. In some instances the entire meter and resting pole also were stolen, police said. The areas include the 200 block of East King Street, Water and East King streets, the Gaston Caperton Train Station parking lot, and the parking lot area of the Martinsburg Public Library.

“I'm watching politics this morning on TV, and reading the paper. It started out, the stimulus money was supposed - for housing, was going to fix all the housing problems in this country. Instead, President Obama used the money for everything but that. He give it to the automobile industry, billions, gave it anybody who wanted it.” - Hagerstown “In May 2008, this paper, in a front-page article, reported that Mayor Bruchey and Councilman Lewis Metzner promised to 'take a stand' on dealing with the old mill plant.

Two weeks after parking meter rates doubled in Hagerstown, officials said the city will not enforce the fee on drivers with disabilities. Eric Deike, manager of the city Department of Public Works, said last week that he has been "directed" not to enforce parking meter fees for those with disability plates or placards who park in a metered space. Deike would not say who directed him to stop enforcement. Maryland exempts drivers with disabilities from paying parking meter fees in the state if the meters do not meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the state's Motor Vehicle Administration website.

A Washington County man lost consciousness Saturday while driving on East Washington Street in Hagerstown and struck a parked car, a lamp post, parking meters and a tree, police said. Hagerstown Police Officer Langley Dean said the driver was traveling in the first block of East Washington Street when the Toyota he was driving jumped the curb and struck an unoccupied parked car. The parked car was pushed into the road as the Toyota continued on the sidewalk, taking out a lamp post and several parking meters before striking a tree head-on and coming to rest, he said.

Town officials wanted to attract more tourists to Williamsport, and some business owners say the plan is working to the point that it has been "crazy. " Local restaurant owner Mike Waugh recalled last summer's Bike Night, when crowds of motorcycle riders pulled into town for a night of music, camaraderie and fundraising. It was a boon for business at Tony's Pizza Time Cafe at the corner of Conococheague and Salisbury streets. "We couldn't get people in and out fast enough.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- The Martinsburg Police Department is seeking the community's assistance in solving a series of vandalism and grand larceny thefts involving more than a dozen parking meters in recent days. Police say the thefts were in the late evening or early morning between Dec. 16-22. The 13 parking meters were damaged and their coin boxes and contents taken. In some instances the entire meter and resting pole also were stolen, police said. The areas include the 200 block of East King Street, Water and East King streets, the Gaston Caperton Train Station parking lot, and the parking lot area of the Martinsburg Public Library.

Town businesses will be promoted on some Fridays WILLIAMSPORT - The Williamsport Town Council voted Monday to close the first block of North Conococheague Street for evening events to promote the town's businesses on the second Fridays of April, May and June. North Conococheague Street will be closed between Potomac and Salisbury streets from 6 to 9 p.m., Mayor James G. McCleaf II said. "We're trying to do something to help our downtown businesses," McCleaf said. On April 11, the event will have an Earth Day theme, McCleaf said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Officials with the Borough of Waynesboro are looking for a way to sell old parking meters to collectors. Many of the meters set aside for sale accept pennies, while others take nickels and dimes. A stumbling block in the way, though, is a state law that requires municipalities to sell items as a lot if together they would be valued at more than $200. Borough Manager Lloyd Hamberger said he is working with the borough council's solicitor to determine a legal way to sell the meters individually and locally.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - Town of Bath business owners and residents said they want to feel safe, but not intimidated by the police department, and about 50 people met Wednesday with Bath Town Council members to voice their concerns. Many business owners praised the police department and the job it was doing for the town, especially in the area of drug-related arrests, but many at the meeting were concerned about some of the tactics used by the department. Sally Marshall, vice president of Travel Berkeley Springs, said using the drug dog to patrol the streets where people shop is intimidating, and when there is a traffic incident, it appears that several police cars arrive on the scene including the drug dog, she said.

Amended noise ordinance adopted GREENCASTLE, Pa. - After many months of discussion, the Greencastle Borough Council unanimously adopted an amended nuisance ordinance on Monday. Borough Council President Charles Eckstine said the council began working to amend the ordinance about nine months ago on the advice of borough solicitor Melissa Dively. "Our solicitor advised us that we should update the ordinance to comply with the law," he said. The amendments updated many definitions in the ordinance including the definitions of the terms nuisance and junk.