VILLAGE OF LIVERPOOL – At its March 18 meeting, the Village of Liverpool Board of Trustees – Mayor Stacy Finney and trustees Melissa Cassidy, Matt Devendorf and Mike LaMontagne – unanimously approved the introduction of a new local law designed to “streamline” the enforcement of the village’s new ban on overweight trucks. Trustee Rachel Ciotti was absent.
Last July, the trustees passed a local law prohibiting the operation of trucks weighing more than five tons within the village. The law specifically targets “truck, trailers and tractor-trailer combinations.”
In mid-January, Liverpool Police began warning drivers of heavyweight vehicles, and by the end of that month the officers began ticketing alleged offenders.
The new fines were established as $1,200 for trucks and their loads totaling between five tons and seven-and-a-half tons. For weights between seven-and-a-half tons and 10 tons the penalty would be $1,700. The fines grow progressively higher for increased weights, with the top fine listed as $4,700 for trucks and their loads weighing 22.5 tons or more.
Police Chief Jerry Unger believes that the troublesome truck traffic has diminished by as much as 85 percent since the law went into effect, and Finney agrees.
Nevertheless, the newest proposed local law – Local Law F – would significantly lower those fines.
If the new law is approved, an overweight truck driver initially convicted could draw a fine of not more than $300. A second conviction within 18 months could draw a fine of not more than $600. And a third conviction within 18 months could draw a fine of not more than $1,200.
The proposed law states its purpose: “The village evaluated the penalty schedule and determined that a more streamlined approach is appropriate the simplify enforcement and the ticketing procedure.”
Residents, motorists and local business owners may weigh in on the proposed local law when the trustees conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, April 15, at the village fall, 310 Sycamore St.
New Officer Roberto Lamas
Also at the March 18 meeting, Finney administered the oath of office to Liverpool’s newest full-time police officer, Roberto Lamas. Unger, who attended the swearing-in, said that Lamas is progressing well at the Central NY Regional Police Academy. He’s expected to graduate on Aug. 9.
Cops busy in February
Unger reported via memo that his officers made 317 traffic stops and issued 271 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in February.
Four accidents were investigated here last month, and 20 parking tickets were issued. Officers made 39 residential checks and 343 business checks in February, while responding to a total of 791 incidents and calls for service. That’s an unusually high number of monthly calls representing an average of 28.2 calls answered per day.
The LPD arrested 51 individuals last month on 55 criminal charges.
Overnight parking ban
From now through April 15 parking along most village streets is banned from midnight to 8 a.m. On village business district streets, parking is prohibited from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.
