Parking Meter Vandalism Continues In Vernon

Parking meter vandalism continues to be a headache for the City of Vernon.

Protective Services Manager Clint Kanester says it’s been going on periodically for the past year.

While some of the vandals are caught it doesn’t seem to stop them even after being in court.

“One guy we’ve caught three times and another guy we’ve caught three times, another individual we’ve caught twice now so a little frustrating for our part.”

Kanester says he’d like to see repeat offenders restricted from even touching a meter, but the city would have to build a history on a person.

“But at least if someone does witness them touching it then that’s a breach of their conditions, then they can be back before a judge because of that so they can be re-arrested and go forward at that point of time.”

Clint Kanester doesn’t think vandals are getting much money out of the meters, the bigger cost is for repairs.

The budget for the year is 10 thousand dollars.

“We just sent in a request for some parts here about the same time as I was doing a little administrative update to council and so by the time were done we’ll pretty much have used that up.”

Kanester says even a kindness meter was broken into.

“They hadn’t been targeted but we had the one in front of Shopper’s Drug Mart was broken into the other day so now even those seem to be suspect to some vandalism.”

He says some vandals have been caught during the day.

The Downtown Vernon Association has been asked if it could put something in its newsletter to have business owners and customers watch and if they see somebody playing around with a meter or looks like they’re opening the top of it to call the city or RCMP right away to deal with it.