More On The "Parking Posse"

[Richard Murphy]

Folks, this is not just about this program it's about politicians lack of respect for their constituency.  Check below for an e-mail received from Dan McCarthy this morning .

Jacksonville program to use volunteers for handicapped parking enforcement in limbo

Changing employee position leaves volunteers without any direction.

Posted: May 16, 2011 - 7:38pm

  

DON BURK/The Times-Union

Maureen Murphy patrols handicapped parking across Jacksonville as part of the Parking Posse, a volunteer group that tickets cars illegally parked in handicapped spaces. A city personnel move has left the group without direction and unable to continue ticketing.

 

   

By Steve Patterson

Volunteers who ticket cars breaking handicapped-parking laws say a Jacksonville City Hall personnel move has put their efforts into chaos.

And Monday, some City Council members joined their criticism.

"In over two weeks, not one ticket has been written," Councilman Stephen Joost said after the volunteers told council Rules Committee members about the transfer of the city employee who was a liaison for them.

"This is not acceptable, to take away his position," Joost said.

The complaints center on the reassignment of a parking enforcement officer, Robert Thigpen, who until recently worked at the city Disabled Services Office.

Thigpen traveled the city writing $250 citations for handicapped parking violations and also advised the volunteers, a group dubbed the Parking Posse that complete a training process before taking their unpaid positions.

He was reassigned and his duties were moved to the city's main parking enforcement office as part of a shift of duties between agencies. Lisa Rinaman, a Mayor's Office staffer, told council members the change would save $59,000 yearly to the city's general fund, the account that pays for most city business.

But critics say the change is sidelining volunteers whose ticketing can raise thousands of dollars a month while enforcing rules written to ensure people with handicaps have fair access to public buildings.

"This has all been in a big disarray since [city administrators] ... decided to move all of this," said Natalie Alden, a volunteer who also chairs the Mayor's Disability Council. "We now have Parking Posse members who are not writing tickets because they have no direction."

Since the change, said Parking Posse member Helen Murphy, "we don't even know where to pick up ticket books anymore. We're afraid to write tickets because we don't know where they're going to go."

Most of the fines collected from handicapped parking tickets are directed to a trust fund - separate from the general fund - that helps pay for some projects benefiting the disabled.

But Maureen Murphy, a posse member who, like Alden, uses a wheelchair, told council members the volunteers' work also benefits the city at large.

The volunteer program is "actually allowing us to help our community," said Maureen Murphy, who is Helen Murphy's daughter.

Councilman John Crescimbeni asked Rinaman to talk to city agencies involved in the change and bring council members some assurance within two weeks that concerns are being addressed.

Council members could file legislation forcing the hand of the Mayor's Office if that doesn't happen, he said.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-05-16/story/jacksonville-pr...

 

This article is very disappointing to read.  I know how much work went into setting up the Disabled Parking Posse Program…and how successful it was.  It was best possible example of City Govt doing more with less.  The revenue stream was impressive…as was the impact of this service on those in our community with physical restrictions.  The folks in Parking Division NEVER believed in this program.  When we set this up they met with me to tell me it would never work, and be a source of great problems for all. They were completely wrong.  We had long list of volunteers, used the revenue to fund wonderful programs for Disabled citizens, and the problems were few. 

 

Dan McCarthy

[C.B. "Cork" Motsett]

The "Parking Posse" are perhaps one of the truly successful programs within the City of Jacksonville/Duval County government.  Think about it for just a second:

1. It's manned 100% by volunteers who draw no pay, no benefits and cost the city absolutely nothing
2. The members volunteer to complete a formal training program, conducted by the city for city employees, so there is no direct cost to the city (OK, maybe a few pieces of paper and copy toner)
3. The volunteers use the same parking violation tickets as city employees so new or additional printing costs
4. Unlike city employees, the volunteers take pictures to support every parking offense written. At their own cost
5. Volunteers show up in court when a violation is challenged, usually in hope the ticket writer won't show -- at no cost to the city as they are not reimbursed for there time while in court or in discussions with the police or Prosecutor's office
6. To my knowledge, not a single parking violation written by a member of the "posse" has been successfully defended or overturned
7. Each ticket provides a revenue stream of $250 to the city... the highest revenue for any parking violation - and at virtually no cost to the city
8. It stands to reason someone caught parking illegally in a handicap place who's forced to pay the full $250 is far less likely to park illegally again - an expensive but necessary education

So it makes perfect sense to try and shut it down?  Only a politician could make this kind of decision!

[JL Gawlik]

I am so mentally burnt out with elected representative's incompetency and lack of common sense. Is this the result of having lawsuits filed at the drop of a hat? *sigh* This is so fricking stupid!!! How many times have i wished to have the ability to write some self centered person a ticket for violations? My mother who had knee problems and fought cancer for a decade plus going through radiation, chemo, etc., had a handicap decal but preferred most of the time to leave the parking to someone less fortunate. This is political ... use your own words.