September Meeting Update

Thanks to all of you for your dedication to this group. Last week, you helped by sharing my post and writing ‘oppose’ testimony for the ‘Land Board’ (BLNR meeting). We oppose the Division of Boating (DOBOR’s) idea to spend 180K on a high-tech parking monitoring car, that will lead to TOWING, as the first and only financial penalty. Secure Parking LLC plans to issue two written warnings, before they tow, which will help some.  But overall, it’s bad idea because they will not be issuing normal $35.00 parking tickets (DOCARE/HPD), and instead Secure Parking LLC, will notify the towing company Mr. Tow, directly and electronically to tow cars.

At 9-26-2025, at the Board meeting, and the Division of Boating (DOBOR) plans to use your BOATING SPECIAL FUND money, primarily earned from mooring fees, to pay SECURE PARKING LLC $180,000 annually to use an AI license reader car. The Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), consisting of 7 members (one absent), voted 5-1 on Friday to use an AI camera car (License Plate Recognition) on a 🚗 to monitor parking.

We did not win. The Board voted in favor the DOBOR proposal, even though the public testimony was 💯 percent (unanimously) against it.

Those who park ‘wrongly’ will receive two writing warnings, but after that, their vehicle will be TOWED. All our efforts to stop ‘Instant Towing’ and reinstate a parking citation stage for minor parking violations (such as a meter overstay), did not influence the Board members.

Despite the fact that the DOBOR/DLNR has the legal authority to reinstate a parking tickets stage under Act 163 (2022), they have not found a way to do so. In fact, DOBOR has ‘doubled down’ by now requesting that the Board relinquish their newly granted oversight responsibilities and make the DLNR Chair (currently Dawn Chang) the sole decision-maker for contracts with parking and towing companies, and remove the Board from the voting. Adding a high-tech AI license reader car for enforcement, without adding a parking ticket stage is mis-management and maybe ‘unethical’ as it could potentially double the number of vehiles towed. In 2024, last year, 2512 cars were towed, and only 4 parking tickets were issued.