Devereaux: Change Parking Rules If Needed, But Don’t Tell Enforcement Officers ‘To Bend’

Citing a widely discussed, heated exchange at a recent public meeting, Selectman Kit Devereaux on Tuesday commended enforcement officers in the New Canaan Parking Bureau. 

The Bureau “is supposed to be enforcing the rules that are in effect and if there is a feeling that the rules don’t work, then the rules need to be changed, not that the the Parking Commission needs to bend,” Devereaux said during a regular Board of Selectmen meeting, held at Town Hall.

She referred to comments made by Parking Commission Chairman Keith Richey during that appointed body’s May 2 meeting. 

Saying downtown New Canaan had become “a police state” with respect to enforcement, with the Bureau’s officers “running around” to ticket people, Richey called for “more leniency” toward motorists violating parking rules. Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg responded that enforcement officers are already lenient and reasonable in the face of drivers who disregard parking rules as well as requests to move, and that the Bureau routinely voids tickets, while one fellow Commissioner told Richey it was unfair to be vague about enforcement instead of proposing formal changes to the regulations. After Miltenberg defended the Bureau and its officers, Richey used menacing language in addressing her.

News of the exchange generated dozens of comments on social media and in threads on NewCanaanite.com.

Devereaux said, “I think they [enforcement officers] do a really excellent job of enforcing what are our rules.”

Section 285 of the Town Code specifies that with respect to parking enforcement, “It shall be the duty of the employees of the Parking Commission and the Police Department to enforce the provisions of these regulations.”

None of the selectmen had attended the Parking Commission’s meeting. The Commission’s meetings are not recorded by Channel 79.

First Selectman Kevin Moynihan noted that he wasn’t present for the exchange, though he did acknowledge that he’d spoken to Richey earlier in the day.

“We were supposed to have met with Stacy and that meeting didn’t occur so I don’t want to give any further comment on the matter,” Moynihan said.

“We have a lot of independent chairmen, independent members of commissions and boards, I have no control over what they do,” the first selectman added.

The selectmen appoint the Parking Commission’s members, and the first selectman serves on it as an ex-officio member, under Article XIII of the Town Charter, and is empowered to cast tie-breaking votes. The Parking Commission is advisory to the Board of Selectmen, which also has the power to remove its members: Under Article II Section 8 of the Town Charter, “Any appointed officers or members of any appointed board, commission or committee may be removed for cause prior to the expiration of their respective terms by unanimous vote of the Board of Selectmen.”

Regarding those who chair and serve on town boards and commissions, Devereaux told Moynihan, “I think they listen to you.”

Moynihan said, “The Parking Bureau reports to me, so I will deal with them directly and whatever they do at the [Parking] Commission level, I will listen to.”

Devereaux raised the subject during a discussion of general matters before the town. Selectman Nick Williams did not weigh in on it.