MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Tuesday, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen Public Safety Committee heard another update on the city’s response to winter weather emergency parking bans.
The discussion followed a recent discussion by the committee seeking to develop a plan on improving the city’s response to winter weather parking bans, where all vehicles must be removed off city streets overnight.
Manchester Department of Public Works Assistant Director Tim Clougherty and Manchester Police Department Chief Allen Aldenberg said the latest winter weather emergency was far more successful in terms of enforcement, with 140 illegally parked cars towed and 150 illegally parked cars ticketed.
An estimated 500 to 600 cars are believed to be illegally parked across the city, but many cannot be removed due to a lack of traffic enforcement officers, available tow trucks and impound lots to place the towed cars.
Aldenburg said that offering overtime pay to entice more officers into temporary traffic enforcement duty during winter weather emergencies could be introduced at the next collective bargaining agreement negotiation.
Ward 6 Alderman Sebastian Sharonov strongly supported this idea, saying it would pay for itself.
More locations could also be identified as temporary impound lots during the discussion, such as a portion of the West Side Ice Arena.
During the most recent winter weather emergency, the JFK Coliseum/Gill Stadium parking lot was added as a fourth parking lot location where city residents could place their cars overnight instead of parking on city streets. However, there was some concern of vehicles that were not removed for days following arrival during the winter weather emergencies. At the city provided parking lots, cars may be ticketed if not removed by the following morning.
Committee Chairman and Ward 10 Alderman Bill Barry was uncertain was other communication could be given to residents to let them know about winter weather emergencies.
Ward 12 Alderman Erin George-Kelly urged further action toward planning for future winter weather emergency outreach, including work during summer months for next winter’s efforts.