No Street Sweeping Fines Will Be Given Out in December

The City Council approved a motion by Councillors Richard Serino and Joanne McKenna that the city’s parking director enforce street sweeping in December by giving out warnings instead of fines.

“A lot of people don’t realize we’ve extended street sweeping to December, so I think especially with COVID-19 here and people still working from home and being home, it would be only fair that we only give warnings to people who parked during street sweeping in December,” said Serino.

McKenna, who noted the many leaves falling on city streets in December, said street sweeping in that month is “weather permitting.”

“If we do have snow on a street-sweeping day, that street sweeper will not come out,” said McKenna. “It is weather permitting but it will extend until Dec. 31.”

Ward 2 Councilor Ira Novoselsky, chair of the Public Works Subcommittee, said that “not only is snow an issue with street-sweeping equipment, if it’s too cold, the equipment won’t work. The transmission fluid and the machinery get very thick and it will not work. I want everyone to know so even it doesn’t know, if the equipment doesn’t snow and the equipment doesn’t show up, it’s because it’s too cold out.”

 Council President Patrick Keefe said that although he favors the motion, “I would probably suggest the first time would be a warning, the second time would be a violation, because I tend to feel sometimes people do take advantage of it, but I think this is a well-intended motion.”