City to expand parking enforcement with two new hires and license‑plate‑reading technology

City officials outlined plans to expand parking enforcement ahead of the summer weekend season, adding two new full-time hires and a part-time position and equipping vehicles with license-plate-reading (LPR) technology.

The Moderator asked the Chief to brief the group; the Chief said "they have two new people that have been hired by our department... Joseph Wilkes and Antonio Diaz. They're in training right now." The Chief described uniforms: "They have their gray polo shirts with a little badge on it, a little sewn on badge."

The Chief said the new staff should be active by the July 4 weekend after completing training and that the program will provide coverage seven days a week, with "heavier enforcement on the weekends." He described the staffing mix as two full-time officers and a third part-time position — "effectively two and a half" — and said enforcement will extend beyond the downtown area to all timed and restricted parking zones.

Officials also said all enforcement vehicles will be fitted with LPR technology to replace manual chalking; the Chief said the technology will be "much more efficient much much more effective." No formal policy vote occurred; staff said this is an operational rollout and will be stood up in the next month or two as training and staffing finish.