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Parking authority seeks higher ticket fines; council advances changes after questions
Summary
Williamsport Parking Authority proposed raising many parking violation fines (most currently $10) to $20–$25 and increasing some permit fees; council advanced the ordinance on first reading 5-1 and asked staff for more information on notice, enforcement hours, meter outages and the authority's debt.
Williamsport Parking Authority Manager Nikki Winter told City Council the authority is proposing a package of ordinance amendments to raise many parking violation fines that have not changed in about 15 years. "The first one would be for blocking a fire hydrant... It's currently at $10. We were looking to increase that to 25," Winter said, and listed similar increases for loading-zone, curb-corner and crosswalk violations as well as higher fees for some resident permits.
Jared Kinley, chairman of the parking authority, said the authority depends entirely on its revenue and has seen rising operating costs and aging equipment: "we actually are running right on the revenue that we take in." Council members pressed for consumer protections and implementation details, including public notice and a possible grace or courtesy program for first-time violations. Winter said the authority could use an existing "first time courtesy" exoneration process and would advertise between readings.
Council also asked about enforcement hours — currently 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday — and whether signage could be adjusted to reflect actual enforcement times. Winter said enforcement covers downtown and college zones and that some pay stations display different hours; she proposed minor adjustments and cross-training maintenance staff to extend coverage if needed.
Members raised concerns about meter outages and the fairness of increasing fines when some meters are inoperable. A councilor requested a report on meter outages and repair plans before the second reading; Winter said maintenance has been placing work orders and that some outages are battery- or solar-panel-related.
Councilors also questioned a long-running debt that the city has covered for the parking authority; Kinley said he would consult the authority's solicitor and provide details by the second reading. The council voted to advance the ordinance on first reading, with a 5-1 tally. The council requested additional financial and operational information ahead of the second reading.
