---

Asbury Park Mayor Myra Campbell’s attempt to fight a parking ticket issued while her car was parked on the sidewalk adjacent to the front of the Paramount Theatre has proved unsuccessful.

Campbell [at right] was issued the ticket while  judging the Asbury Park Easter Pageant held in Convention Hall on April 20. The case was transferred to the Neptune City Municipal Court because of Campbell’s status as Mayor of Asbury Park.

On Thursday, she was found guilty by Judge Richard Thompson and fined $20 plus court costs, she said, adding the judge cited a state statute which prevents cars from parking on sidewalk areas, and that the owner of the vehicle is ultimately responsible for where it is parked.

But the minimal fine was not the reason she fought the ticket, Campbell said, as she believes she was unfairly targeted.

Asbury Park Police Officer Eugene Dello issued the ticket.

“Officer Dello knows damn well people park there for special events, they do it all the time,” she said.

Officer Dello declined to comment due to police protocols that prevent him from speaking to members of the press.

Deputy Chief Anthony Salerno, who is the department’s spokesperson, said the department began to receive citizen complaints in November altering them to places in the city Campbell’s vehicle was illegally parked and that Campbell was given verbal notice about it several times from Chief Mark Kinmon.

A citizen complaint prompted the April 20 ticket, he said.

A photo of the car on the sidewalk posted to a social media website drew significant attention.

“Based on the fact that she received prior warnings, he [Dello] issued a summons as he would for anyone who is in violation of the parking statue,” Salerno said.

While Campbell said she does not question the statute that prevents cars from parking on the sidewalk, she does question the history of how many other cars have parked in the same location without being ticketed.

On Memorial Day, a radio station set up to broadcast from the Asbury Park boardwalk had parked a van in the same location and there were several cars parked there during Asbury Park High School’s graduation ceremony in the Paramount Theatre in June, Campbell said.

In addition, Campbell wondered whether Dello was out of his jurisdiction when he issued the ticket. Who owns that part of the sidewalk —whether it is part of the city right-of-way, or if it is the private property of boardwalk redeveloper Madison Marquette — is “questionable,” she said.

“Through the summer, trust me, when there are events up there you will see event coordinators parked in that same area, so why am I the only one that gets a ticket?” she said.

Salerno said police officers who work in the city have been issues summonses for parking violations in the past, and that “no one, no matter rank or title, is above the law.”

————————————————————

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook and Twitter.

---