Parking lot treatment upsets patrons

WILKES-BARRE – A Warrior Run man said he was verbally abused and made to feel like a common criminal when he paid his parking fee with a $20 bill at a downtown parking lot.

Bob Cronauer, a federal government employee who recently returned from working in Iraq for eight months, said all he wanted to do was support a downtown business when he drove to Wilkes-Barre on June 16.

Another customer of the same parking lot said she had a similar run-in with the same attendant.

Mayor Tom Leighton, who appoints the members to the five-member Parking Authority, said he will discuss the situation with the board. Jim Conahan, authority board chairman, said he will address the concerns with LAZ Parking Ltd., the management firm hired to manage the city’s parking lots.

Cronauer, cousin of city Councilman Rick Cronauer, said he parked his vehicle at the Park N Lock No. 6 lot on West Northampton Street because he wanted to buy a book at Barnes & Noble College Bookstore on South Main Street.

“I reached in my wallet and realized the smallest denomination I had was a $20 bill,” Cronauer said. “I handed the attendant the money and unexpectedly I was screamed at because he said he was ‘sick of everyone paying with $20s.’ Not only was I verbally abused, but he also made it a point to exit his booth and write down my license plate number, like I was some sort of common criminal.”

Cronauer said when he questioned the attendant, he was told that he writes down the license plate number of anyone who pays with a $20 bill. Cronauer said he was shocked by the attendant’s actions and how he was being treated.

Cronauer said there are signs that clearly state that “no bills over $20 will be accepted.” Cronauer said he was “furiously frustrated,” and decided to drive home.

“I was almost home when I decided the customer service I received was totally unacceptable and someone other than me and the rude parking attendant had to be aware of this situation,” Cronauer said. “It was worth another buck to go through the parkade to get the number of his supervisor and tell him how his customers are treated.”

Cronauer said he spoke with the lot manager and received a sincere apology. Cronauer could not identify the employee’s name, nor did he know the name of the supervisor.

“I can only imagine how many unfortunate local and out-of-town folks alike with $20 bills have received the same treatment, never to return to floundering downtown Wilkes-Barre, Cronauer said. “Henceforth, I believe I’ll be shopping in Wilkes-Barre Township, where the parking is hassle-free, and I mean free.”

Alicia Donahue of Kingston said she was “treated very badly” by the attendant. Donahue went to pay her bill and was told she owed $2 because she was parked for one hour and seven minutes. She said she only had one dollar and asked the attendant if he could let her go for the extra seven minutes.

“He made me back my car up and the cars behind me had to back up as well,” Donahue said. “I had to park my car and then walk back to Boscov’s to find an ATM machine to get more money.”

Donahue said she came back and got in her car and went to pay the bill with a $20 bill.

“Now the guy gave me a hard time because I was paying with a $20,” Donahue said. “I explained that the ATM machines only dispense $20 bills, but he was not very nice to me at all. Next time I’ll go to Barnes & Noble in Wilkes-Barre Township. If you go to downtown Wilkes-Barre, park at your own risk.”

Leighton said he will contact the parking authority to try to determine who the attendant on duty was for both incidents.

“This has to be addressed,” Leighton said. “It’s disturbing to hear that these people were not treated with respect while visiting the downtown.”

Leighton said city employees are instructed to treat people with respect. He said the parking authority pays the salaries of the Park N Lock employees. The mayor appoints the authority members. The five-member panel consists of Conahan, Paul Maher, Joseph O’Brien, Edward Kotarski and Robert Jabers.

“I’m very upset about this,” Conahan said. “In the past, we have had to terminate employees who haven’t treated people correctly.”

Conahan said he will meet with the mayor and he will contact LAZ to see that the concerns are addressed.

“Attendants have to be on their toes at all times,” Conahan said. “All I can say is that I am extremely sorry for what happened to these two individuals.”

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Attendant at Park N Lock No. 6 was disrespectful, two customers say.

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