Hawley council may give meter enforcer power to give tickets for other parking violations
Hawley Borough Council discussed on April 10 the Police Committee recommendation to expand the duties of the meter enforcement officer to issue citations for non-moving traffic violations such as illegal parking.
Andrea Racht has been the meter enforcement officer for over 10 years. Her role is focused on issuing tickets for vehicles left at any of the borough's approximately 150 parking meters after the time has run out.
The added authority would include ticketing drivers who are double-parked, parking where they should not be, parking issues with oversized vehicles and other parking matters, Councilor Elaine Herzog reported. She said the committee has discussed this for a long time.
Police Chief Daniel Drake is seeking a copy of the existing ordinance used by Honesdale Borough and has one from Bath, Pennsylvania, where this authority is delegated to the meter officer. Council would need to pass an ordinance to make this effective and enforceable.
"Somebody's going to get hurt," Herzog said, referencing the way some people park in town. "They need to be cited. We cite a few people, maybe it will stop."
More Hawley items
The council approved a request to allow overnight camping on the night of Oct. 12-13 in Bingham Park for participants in the first Lackawaxen River Sojourn. Grant Genzlinger discussed the plans for the event, hosted by the Lackawaxen River Trails group, which seeks to promote, improve and establish hiking and paddling in the river corridor and beyond. The sojourn is to begin in Honesdale, follow the river to Hawley and continue the next day on the lower Lackawaxen River.
More: Two-day Lackawaxen River Sojourn proposed for October 2024
Lackawaxen River Trails offered to fund the match, up to $5,000, for the proposed stairway from the trail on top of the flood levy down to the Riverside Dog Park. Genzlinger said that is a good project for the Pocono Forests and Waters mini-grant program. The council agreed to make the grant application, not to exceed $9,000. The project is pending approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates what can be done in the flood plain.
The levy crosses the property of Dean Johnson, a resident of Falls Avenue. The public levy trail ends before his property, and Johnson complained of walkers trespassing on the portion of levy on his land; he owns both sides, all the way to the river. Borough Solicitor Robert Bernathy said that the borough needs to find some way of posting the end of the public trail. Genzlinger stated that the Lackawaxen River Trails group is happy to find a solution, pay for the signs and install them.
American Legion Post 311 has pledged $2,500 for police armored vests, and $50 monthly for Hawley Fire Department.
Over 3,000 plastic Easter eggs were hidden for the borough Easter egg hunt on March 30 in Bingham Park. The Wayne County Sheriff's Department attended with its new K-9 dog. Chief Drake thanked everyone involved.
Drake presented a plaque to Hawley Borough, having been awarded for the 2023 National Night Out event last August in Bingham Park. The award is from the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) which launched the nationwide observance 40 years ago. Local police departments use National Night Out to engage the community in crime and drug abuse prevention activities. The Hawley event received second place for their category out of all 50 states, Drake said.
Hawley Council meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall, 94 Main Ave.
Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Hawley parking meter enforcer role may expand to parking violations
