Charleroi OKs free parking due to national coin shortage

By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com

Parking will be free in Charleroi starting today.
During a council meeting Wednesday, officials weighed the pros and cons of the move.
Parking is currently enforced from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The idea was sparked by the current national coin shortage.
At many businesses, customers are encouraged to either use exact change or to pay with a credit, debit or gift card because of the shortage.
According to the Federal Reserve, the shortage is due to disruptions in the supply chain from when stay-at-home orders were put in place and businesses were forced to close to stop the spread of the virus.
A decline in coin production, in an effort to keep employees safe, is also part of the problem.
Councilwoman Jeannine Motycki brought the idea before council.
“It is bad,” she said. “You go to the store right now and they will not give back change.”
“People are having a hard time getting quarters, people are having a hard time getting change at all,” Motycki said. “I did not have a quarter today when I was going into Aldi and thank God for the little old lady sitting next to me, who pulled a quarter out and gave me hers.”
She said punishing residents with parking tickets who are unable to find change is not fair.
“If you don’t have a quarter to put in the meter, then you have to come up and give a dollar to Roberta (Doerfler) and I just don’t think it is fair to our residents.”
She made a motion to bag the meters until the shortage subsides, but some council members had reservations.
Council President Mark Alterici said he understood the problem, but had concerns.
“I am going to agree with you partially,” Alterici said. “I understand where you are coming from, but first of all I think we need to put a time frame on it right now and look at this month by month. We need to put a date on it.”
He is also worried people may abuse free parking.
“…As a business owner, my biggest concern is that people will abuse the parking spots,” he said. “We already have people who abuse it as it is.
“A meter is not there to make money, a meter is there to turn stalls and a stall should turn eight times a day.”
Alterici said he can predict where certain cars will be parked once residents do not have to pay.
“I can go up and down the street on a Saturday when Sam (Kopach) is not walking and tell you who will be parked where in front of certain places,” he said. “That is my only concern. We might be opening a Pandoras Box here with this.”
Councilman Frank Paterra suggested putting off the decision until next month, but Motycki said the issue needs to be taken care of.
“I think we need to do it now,” Motycki said. “The coin shortage is now. Who knows what it will be in another month?”
Vice President Jerry Jericho supports the idea.
“I am not a big fan of the parking meters, that being said I don’t use them very often,” he said. “I am all in favor of trying it.”

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