COLUMBIANA Police cracking down on parking violators
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
COLUMBIANA -- This isn't a good town to ignore paying a parking ticket.
City council in July approved an increase from $5 to $10 for regular parking tickets and from $5 to $25 for those who park illegally in spaces reserved for disabled people.
Police Chief John Krawchyk said most motorists so far are paying the increased fines right away, but some don't take parking violations seriously.
Krawchyk said parking ordinances are enforced just as speeding and other traffic violations are enforced.
Motorists who don't pay the fines within five days of being cited will pay double, he said.
Those who continue to ignore unpaid parking tickets will be cited into mayor's court; then they will pay court costs in addition to the fine.
Paying both could cost $60 or more.
The city does not have parking meters, and overnight parking is the only time limitation.
Krawchyk said that although there are 17 signs posted throughout the city indicating parking is prohibited from 2 to 5:30 a.m., overnight parking continues to be a problem.
Krawchyk has said anyone with a need to park on the street overnight should discuss their situation with police.
Exceptions can be made, for example, when a resident with limited off-street parking has overnight guests over the holidays, he said.