The chairman of the city’s parking authority is dropping quarters in meters after a testy exchange this summer between he and fellow parking officials.
John Dorosh owns 49 – 57 Elizabeth Street in downtown Derby. He is also the chairman of the city’s parking authority, the agency that operates the Derby parking garage.
The parking agency’s employees collect money from the city’s parking meters. If you go beyond the alloted time on the meter, an enforcement officer writes a ticket.
However, enforcement officers were not issuing tickets to Dorosh, according to minutes from the Aug. 11 meeting of the Derby Parking Authority.
The minutes indicate Dorosh was parking cars he was trying to sell on Third Street.
In the minutes, Leo Moscato, Jr., the director of the authority, states that enforcement officers thought they weren’t supposed to give Dorosh tickets.
“I had asked Rich DiCarlo, our enforcement officer, if this was true. Rich, for some reason, was under the impression Chairman Dorosh had ‘carte blanche’ to park at meters because of his status on the Derby Municipal Parking Authority,” Moscato said.
Moscato directed DiCarlo to go into Dorosh’s building and ask him to feed the meter, if one had expired.
Then, in July, Moscato asked Dorosh to move cars for sale off Third Street. “There has been a significant decrease in revenue in meter (no.) 67,” Moscato noted.
Dorosh allegedly cursed at Moscato and told him to leave the property. He allegedly had a similar angry exchange when an enforcement officer ticketed his vehicle.
According to the meeting minutes, a copy of which is posted below, after Moscato told Parking Authority members about the Dorosh incident, members of the authority met in executive session for an unspecified “personnel issue.”
It’s unclear what they talked about.
When reached for comment Thursday, Moscato said the issue was over.
“All I can say is that it was an issue and that it has been resolved,” Moscato said.
Dorosh said Thursday he follows the rules like everyone else.
“The matter has been resolved. The board considers it a non-issue. The authority will continue to serve people in a professional manner,” Dorosh said.
Tony Szewczyk, a former Alderman who serves on the Parking Authority, said members with of the authority have moved on.
“It was kind of a touchy situation, but they got over it. John pays. Nobody’s getting a free ride.”
He said Dorosh and Moscato have known each other since childhood. Sometimes, they fight.
“They’re like an old married couple,” Szewczyk said.
