Three NCPD Officers Honored in Promotion Ceremony

The New Canaan Police Department held a ceremony at Town Hall on Wednesday to mark the promotions of three of its officers—Lt. Aaron LaTourette, Sgt. Daniel Guilino, and Sgt. George Caponera. Hosted by Chief John DiFederico, the ceremony was attended by the officers’ families, friends and fellow members of the police department. DiFederico said the ceremony was a chance to focus on the positive side of being a member of the NCPD.

Officials Uphold $150 Ticket for New Canaan Man Parked in Handicapped Zone

The Parking Commission at its most recent meeting voted unanimously to uphold a $150 ticket issued to a New Canaan man for parking in a handicapped zone on Elm Street. 

Though Charles Woodman did not attend the Commission’s special meeting Sept. 11 at Town Hall, but his appeal was briefly discussed as the group voted to uphold or void tickets that were appealed. 

According to Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg, a police officer issued the ticket to Woodman at 10:14 a.m. on July 11 after watching him park in a handicapped zone in front of Dunkin’ Donuts. 

“[The officer] specifically told him he couldn’t park there,” Miltenberg said. “And not that the young man was disrespectful, but he kind of went back and forth with the officer, and the officer has had previous run-ins with him as far as parking and things like that and he parked right in front of the handicapped sign.”

Miltenberg then detailed her own discussion with Woodman after the ticket was issued, when he paid a visit to her office. 

“I explained to him that you can’t, for any reason, park in a handicapped parking spot and he said to me that ‘My friend told me that police officers are not allowed to give me parking tickets,’ ” she recalled. “And my first words [to him] were ‘Do not ever listen to your friend again about anything.’ ”

Commission Chairman Keith Richey announced that the meeting that he would recuse himself from voting on Woodman’s appeal because he knows him personally, however, he did ask, “What kind of an appeal is that anyhow?”

Commissioners Peter Ogilvie, Pam Crum, Stuart Stringfellow and Chris Hering all voted to uphold Woodman’s ticket. 

Parking Officials Void Ticket for Town Woman Who Overstayed at Morse Court

A split vote among members of the Parking Commission at a special meeting Tuesday night voided a $25 ticket issued to a New Canaan woman for overtime parking at Morse Court. Sarah Spadaccini told the Commission that on July 27, after she clocked out of her shift at Kiwanis Park, she parked her at Morse Court in a 15-minute zone so that she could pick up her takeout order from Spiga restaurant. She said that her order had already been prepared when she arrived at the restaurant, so all she had to do was pay and then leave. 

“As I was walking out to my car—because I was in the spot closest to Main Street—I could see the man ticketing my car,” she said. “It couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes. I was in and then I was out.

‘Ludicrous’: Parking Officials Uphold $75 Ticket for Fairfield Woman Parked in a Crosswalk 

The Parking Commission on Tuesday night voted unanimously to uphold a $75 ticket issued to a Fairfield woman who was parked in a crosswalk on Elm Street. 

Patricia Hessel told members of the Commission at a special meeting that on July 6, she parked in downtown New Canaan just before noon to go shopping for her business and when she returned to her vehicle 10 minutes later, she found a ticket on her car. 

“Apparently, I parked in a crosswalk and I did not realize I did,” she told the Commission at its meeting, held in Town Hall. “I’m not from this town. Our town has big white lines [marking the crosswalk]. I did hesitate a bit, but then I got out of the car, I saw the sign and said to myself, ‘I guess it must be OK because [the arrow on the sign] is pointing both ways… But sure enough, I got a ticket.”

Hessel said that she didn’t take a photo of where her car was parked at the time the ticket was issued but went back at a later date and took a photo “to prove my case.” She presented the photo to the Commission as evidence. 

“The big white lines and red bricks [at the crosswalk] didn’t trigger any thoughts?” Commissioner Peter Ogilvie asked. 

Hessel replied “no” and reiterated that she was looking for large, white lines similar to what she’s used to seeing at crosswalks in Fairfield. 

“The [arrow on the] sign looked like it was pointing both ways, so I’m fighting it,” she said. “Believe me, I will never park there again.

Parking Commission Upholds $30 Loading Zone Ticket 

The Parking Commission on Tuesday night voted unanimously to uphold a $30 ticket issued to a woman who parked in a loading zone. Sarah Zepeda told members of the Commission at a special meeting that as she approached the corner of Main Street and East Avenue at 10:50 a.m. one morning, she noticed a two-hour parking sign, so she decided to take advantage of the vacant spot. 

As she showed the Commission pictures of where she was parked using her cell phone, Zepeda explained that while she was aware that she was parked near a loading zone, she didn’t realize that her car had actually crossed the loading zone line. 

“I felt I was above the loading zone line and not blocking it,” the Norwalk resident told the Commission at its meeting, held in Town Hall. 

Zepeda added that the signage near the spot was “confusing” and that she only saw a sign stating that the space behind her car is used as a loading zone from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. but did not see any loading zone signs in front of her car. Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg pointed out that in the photo there was, in fact, another loading zone sign in front of her car. Miltenberg also noted that even if Zepeda only noticed the two-hour parking sign, that sign clearly states that parking hours are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Her ticket had been issued at 10:50 a.m. on Aug. 8.