Metro

EBENSBURG — During Monday’s Ebensburg Borough Council meeting, officials approved increases in hourly parking rates and overtime parking fines, which are expected to take effect later this year, after a part-time parking enforcement officer is hired and trained for the vacant position.

Borough officials also opted to contract with ParkMobile for parking services, which will soon allow people to pay for parking with their phones rather than a parking meter.

Although the plan is to have ParkMobile available for all parking spaces, officials stressed there will still be parking meters available for those who prefer that option.

Currently, the borough’s rates allow people to park for one hour and 15 minutes for 25 cents. When the new rate goes into effect later this year, which officials hope will be by Sept. 1 or shortly thereafter, the rate will change to $1 per hour.

Parking ticket fines will also double at that time, with the current rate of $5 increasing to $10 if paid within 48 hours. If a person in violation doesn’t pay within 48 hours, the fine will jump to $20 when the new rates take effect.

Borough Manager Terry Carcella said it’s been about a year since the borough has had a parking meter attendant employed, which has led to a loss of revenue from the borough’s parking meters and fines.

Borough officials have been reviewing and discussing the existing parking agreement with Cambria County officials for some time, according to the meeting’s agenda.

The county reviewed use of the ParkMobile app and found it will be financially beneficial to both governmental bodies with proper enforcement.

Carcella said it’s estimated about 25% of the borough’s population already uses ParkMobile in other municipalities. There will be an option for people who don’t have smartphones to text ParkMobile and pay for their parking without a mobile app, he said.

The council also approved a resolution granting Carcella permission to advance the hiring of a parking enforcement officer. The position will be 30 hours per week at a rate of $17 per hour with no benefit package, according to the meeting’s agenda.

Carcella said there are two possible candidates for the position, and once that person is hired, it will be at least another 45 to 55 days to get Park­Mobile functional within the borough. That person will also be responsible for programming the borough’s current meters to reflect the approved parking rate increase, he said.

Wheels and Wings

In other business, borough officials are preparing for the annual Wheels and Wings event, which takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday. The event schedule includes a beer tent; live music; a car, truck and bike show; and a wing-off between several food vendors.

Community Development Director Danea Koss said there are currently 17 food vendors participating, and the event has six sponsors. The Ebensburg Main Street Partnership is selling event shirts, which can be purchased both at the event or beforehand at the borough office building, she said.

Koss said High Street will remain open, but there will be some street closures on Center, Sample and Julian streets.

“We’re still confirming a few volunteers, but we’re mostly fully staffed. So we would encourage everybody to come out and celebrate with us,” Koss said.

“There’s always a chance of rain with this event … so we’ll see how that goes,” Koss said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.