Kendrys’ parking perks
Last week I wrote about corruption in Lawrence, featuring City Councilor Estela Reyes but some councilors’ arrogance presents itself in many different forms.
Recently, William Green posted a video of Council President Kendrys Vasquez’s car who normally parks all day in front of his place of work Mi Casa Adult Day Health Center at 333 Broadway. There was no parking stub placed on his dashboard; instead, a decal with the city seal was affixed to both sides of his windshield. Some councilors have told me that the city seal entitles them to park anywhere for free. Others believe that it is only in city-owned parking lots.
So, I searched through City Ordinances and found something the council approved last August and which is shared here. Notice that it says, “Every City Councilor elected or appointed pursuant to the Lawrence City Charter shall be assigned a parking placard, allowing overtime parking without penalty only while conducting official City business.”
There are two things to know: The ‘parking placard’ is something similar to what city inspectors use during the day while they are doing city business and place it on the dashboard; not affixed to the windshield.
It says they shall not be ticketed (with that placard) for parking overtime. That tells me that they have to pay at the meter and if they are at a place doing city business and time expires, they will not be ticketed like the rest of us. City Councilor at-Large Ana Levy is behind this request. Her reasoning was to be identified as a city councilor and be able to enter emergency areas blocked by police or firefighters.
I do wonder what the heck business has any councilor in an event involving police or fire department?
The ordinance continues, “A placard will be provided by the Personnel Director,” although Frank Bonet told me that’s not his responsibility. “I don’t know why they want me to give them a placard. I am not in charge of placards. I told them to go to DPW.”
“Whoever fails to return his or her placard after the expiration of his or her term of service, or displays such placard without authority, shall be punished by a fine of $300.00.” The decal pasted on the windshield cannot be returned as the ordinance specifies.
But, let’s be reasonable people. How would we know what constitutes “official city business”? How would we know if they having lunch with someone resolving an issue related to their council duties? Phonies!
And then again, who’s going to give him a ticket? This is a department that he controls after all.
