“McDonald’s and Jack in the Box have big signs too,” said Victoria, but Bobkiewicz said the photos are being confined to those belonging to the city.“We don’t enforce some of these signs; one in front of my shop” states that parking is limited to two hours, but Victoria said, “maybe once a week I see someone come by.” Other city signage ignored by citizens include requiring protective gear to use the skatepark, “not enforced; skateboarding and biking on the sidewalk, not enforced; RVs on front yards, not enforced; speed law, not enforced,” added Victoria.“Jess you should also have Wally’s phone number so he can communicate directly” about such concerns, said Councilman Ray Luna, who noted that he has observed some photographing of license plates for “more than one reason.”
City inventory of signage leads to concern
May 09, 2008
Santa Paula City Council
City employees taking photos of signage led to an inquiry at a recent City Council meeting when a downtown merchant questioned if the city had created a “snitch squad.”
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesCity employees taking photos of signage led to an inquiry at a recent City Council meeting when a downtown merchant questioned if the city had created a “snitch squad.” “You might not be aware what’s going on downtown,” Jess Victoria told the Council, but for the “last three or four months a city truck with two city employees park in front of my shop, take a picture then move on” along East Main Street.“I’m just wondering what is going on: who gives those employees those instructions?” Victoria noted that the “chain of command can certainly be followed down... for what purpose do we have a snitch squad in town?”There is no snitch squad, but rather just an attempt to create a database of all city signage, said City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz. A city intern is working with a staff member photographing signage, an effort that Bobkiewicz said has been taking place for last six to eight weeks. “They’re not taking photos of stores, they’re taking pictures of signs,” he added.
