PITTSTON – The coordinator of Meals on Wheels of Greater Pittston told Newswatch 16 that her volunteer drivers have been issued several parking tickets in recent weeks, after years without citations at the office on South Main Street.
Louise Smith said that volunteers have a sign on the dashboard, that they take about 15 minutes to load meals into their vehicles and that some drivers returned to find tickets on the windshield.
"They're there for such a short time. They come, they pick up, and they’re gone in less than 10 minutes. And they're getting tickets. Give us a little leniency and honor our placard, our Meals on Wheels card,” said Smith. "It's been really rough. It's not good because my volunteers are being hurt. None of them have threatened to quit over it, but it makes life hard and with the price of gas, now they're docking them for parking."
Pittston police said the rules have not changed, but that a parking enforcement officer was hired earlier this year to replace the previous officer, who left in 2006.
The city administrator told Newswatch 16 that the lower Tomato Festival parking lot is still free to the public, that meter violation fines are only $5 and that Pittston’s top priority is revitalizing the city and being business friendly.