Village parking placards face vandalism

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Aluminum parking placards are being vandalized across downtown Rockville Centre, according to village officials. The placards, which designate spot numbers for shoppers and residents to enter into electronic parking meters, can bend if enough force is applied to them.

“Someone is trying to prove their strength,” said Village Trustee Edward Oppenheimer about people bending the signs. “It’s a sign of immaturity but it’s frequent.”

Village officials are considering different options to prevent further sign destruction. Trustee Oppenheimer admitted they were in the early discussions on how to solve the issue, but there was one solution that showed promise.

While repairing one of the signs, employees from the Department of Public Works bolted two sheets of aluminum together. The sign was much stronger with the modification.

Village officials still favor signs over painted numbers on the streets because the numerals can fade over time and become obscured in certain weather conditions, such as snow.

“In the grand scheme of things it’s not a big deal,” said Oppenheimer. “But it’s something I’d love to do.”