Dormont Council Considers Warn First, Then Ticket Policy

council is considering creating a one-warning policy for residents instead of issuing a ticket for a first parking offense.

The idea, discussed at Tuesday’s legal and finance committee meeting, is to address council’s concerns that Mayor Thomas Lloyd may be dismissing tickets inappropriately.

That could lead to police being less likely to write tickets in the first place, said Laurie Malka, committee chairwoman.

Lloyd has said he’s dismissed tickets for what he considers “good reasons.”

While council has no power over the mayor, Malka said it can insist that police issue tickets when appropriate.

Malka said she wants the borough to be friendly on one hand, but also to enforce parking codes such as no parking on sidewalks.

Enforcement isn’t about money, Councilman Drew Lehman said.

“I don’t want to make revenue. I want people to stop (violating parking regulations) and the only way we can stop it is to get them in the wallet,” he said.

Council also wants to find out the number of tickets being dismissed.

In another police matter, council agreed to look into whether to change the required number of sergeants.

The department has four sergeants, but that number was tied to minimum shift requirements, which council did away with last year.