Effective today, Starkville Police Department will begin enforcing a two-hour time limit on downtown parking.
Chief of Police David Lindley said the department is bring back a parking officer after a 10-year hiatus to ease the burden on downtown business owners and patrons.
“We haven’t done it in over 10 years but we’re reimplementing it due to the request of downtown merchants,” Lindley said. “We hope to alleviate a problem with over-crowding, in particular in the Main Street area and some of the side streets that occur Monday through Friday.”
A parking attendant will walk the streets of Starkville and chalk the tires of parked vehicles. If the vehicle is in the same spot after a two-hour period, a $10 ticket will be issued.
Lindley said the attendant will be a part-time employee and work a 19-hour work week. The new position is funded by a supplement to the department’s budget by city officials.
Repeat offenders who have not paid their fine after 30 days will have their vehicle towed of fitted with a wheel-lock until all fines are paid.
The streets affected are Main Street from West Main to Jackson Street, Washington Street from Jefferson Street to Lampkin Street and Jackson Street from Main Street to Lampkin Street.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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