Parking enforcement officers approved in Centre Wellington

The Township of Centre Wellington has officially authorized an outside company to issue parking tickets in town. 

At Tuesday’s meeting, clerk Kerri O’Kane presented a report recommending appointing employees of Alpha Parking Solutions as municipal law enforcement officers (LEO) which is required for them to be able to enforce parking bylaws. 

Seven names were listed in the bylaw to be able to act as municipal law enforcement officers.

At a previous meeting, council approved bringing in an outside company to handle parking enforcement, particularly downtown which will be under a new three-hour parking rule to increase turnover of parking spots in tourist areas.

The 2020 budget allocated $100,000 for parking enforcement costs including two uniformed officers to patrol for a total of 84 hours per week.

Coun. Bob Foster said he was okay with the enforcement but was not in favour of outsourcing this job. 

He noted the rationale of the cost behind hiring an in-house municipal bylaw officer would be balanced through fines levied. 

“We ought to be able to do this in-house,” Foster said. 

Mayor Kelly Linton reminded Foster the company had already been approved and this bylaw was just to make the company’s employees able to issue parking tickets. 

Coun. Stephen Kitras questioned why the town needed seven officers as he felt that was a lot for the two towns. 

Linton clarified the bylaw allows any of the listed people to act as municipal LEOs in Centre Wellington and doesn’t mean there will be seven people patrolling. 

This was approved in a 5-2 recorded vote with Kitras and Foster against.