The Board of Selectmen appointed Town Administrator Tim Bragan as parking clerk at its Feb. 7 meeting, a move that will allow the Harvard police to begin issuing parking tickets. Bragan volunteered for the position, and the board voted 4–1 to appoint him, with Selectman Ron Ricci casting the lone dissenting vote because of his concerns about ticketing on Mass. Ave.
Bragan told the board that Harvard police had expressed frustration with their inability to issue parking tickets, and that the only thing standing in their way was the town’s lack of a parking clerk to serve as an adjudicator for residents who believe they have been unfairly ticketed. Police Chief Ed Denmark told the Press that the department’s main concern is the ability to ticket illegally parked cars that present a safety hazard. He added that other than the beach, the parking problems in town mainly occur during high-volume, low-frequency events, such as those on the Common. “It doesn’t happen often,” he said, “but when it does, it’s a real pain.”
Denmark said that up until now , the only mechanism the police had was to tow illegally parked cars, but they felt that towing was a drastic step to take for minor parking violations. A bylaw allowing the police to give out parking tickets was added a few years ago, but the parking clerk position needed to be filled before any tickets could be written.
The police are not the only ones concerned with hazards created by illegally parked cars. Bragan told the board the Parks and Recreation Commission has been asking for help with illegal parking at the town beach for years, and Selectman Stu Sklar said that he has witnessed the ambulance having a difficult time getting to the beach because of the narrowing of the roadway created by illegally parked cars. Bragan added that last week, when the Unitarian Church was having an event, Elm Street was blocked by cars. Selectwoman Alice von Loesecke brought up how dangerous it sometimes is to turn from Pond Road onto Mass. Ave. because of cars parked too close to the intersection. “I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve practically had the front of my car taken off there because I cannot see around cars that are not properly parked,” she said.
No ‘shoulder pain’ on Mass. Ave.
Ricci voted against the appointment because he was concerned that teachers and parents who routinely park on the section of Mass. Ave. in front of the elementary school may be ticketed because the road there is a state right-of-way. But Denmark told the Press that as long as vehicles are parked on the shoulder and are not obstructing the roadway, there is no problem.
Janet Vellante, who is acting town clerk while Amy McDougall is out on leave, said in a phone interview that the town adopted the parking regulations defined in Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 90, Section 20A, in 2005. The law states that the fine for illegal parking is $25 if paid within 21 days. The town has a separate bylaw for handicapped parking violations, Chapter 108, Section 3. Fines for illegally parking in a handicapped spot are $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense, and $300 for third and subsequent offenses. Denmark said that ticketing can begin as soon as tickets are printed, which will probably take about two weeks.
