Council suspends ban on truck parking

OXFORD >> Enforcement of the ban on trucks, vans and SUVs in the angled parking spaces along Market Street was suspended by Borough Council during its Monday, Oct. 10, meeting. The move came after complaints from the business community and council members’ objections on how the return to enforcing the 20-yearold ordinance after years of ignoring it was handled.

The original ordinance from 1996 limited the angled parking to passenger cars only, but after complaints that the original signs prohibiting trucks were removed, that provision of the ordinance was no longer enforced.

“There are a lot of ordinances I don’t think are always carried out,” Council Chairman Ron Hershey said. “Did they have a legal authority to enforce the ordinance? Yes.”

Parking and traffic flow have been hot issues with council in recent months, and during line painting, a line was placed at the back of the Market Street parking stalls to designate the edge of the traffic lane. The first three spaces from the intersection with Third Street were also posted for compact cars only because large trucks making the turn onto Market Street often swing wide around that corner.

Mayor Geoff Henry issued a press release on Sept. 22 advising that the rule limiting parking on Market Street to passenger cars only would be enforced starting this month, but council had not taken action on this.

“I don’t think a press release

should ever go out without council knowing about it,” Council Member Peggy Russell said.

Henry took responsibility for the press release but was not the one who ordered the lines to be painted. “The fact is, there is an ordinance on the books,” he said.

Council’s vote to suspend that portion on the parking ordinance and refer it to committee for revision removes the potential for anyone to be ticketed for parking a truck or van in the angled spaces, but vehicles that protrude into the lane of traffic may still be cited under the state’s vehicle code.

The parking issue generated extensive comment from the audience, but there was no discussion when Hershey read a brief statement to the Oxford Area Sewer Authority to call for the immediate resignation of Executive Director Ed Lennex.

The sewer authority has failed to meet its payments due on a $27 million USDA loan and has raised user rates by 30 percent to try to close the gap between costs and revenues. Member municipalities have joined to seek possible solutions with one option being the sale of the existing sewer system.

Council voted unanimously in support of the resolution asking for Lennex to step down, which will be communicated to the authority board and the member municipalities.

On a brighter note,

Henry read a proclamation honoring Oxford native, Dr. Lester Lewis, in recognition of his contributions to the community.