City responds to “Official Business” parking questions

Last week, Historic City News followed up on reader reports that former mayor Joe Boles was avoiding parking tickets downtown by continuing to display a placard issued to him when he was in office indicating he was on “official business” of the City of St Augustine. That permit was cancelled ten months ago.

According to a response from CPA Meredith Breidenstein, Deputy Director of the Finance, Budget & Management Department, there is no documented city policy governing those authorized to receive and display such permits, however, she did verify a list of personnel who hold a current, valid permit — Boles, of course, is not on the list.

“The City Manager has the authority to issue Vehicles on Official City Business permits,” Breidenstein wrote in her response to our inquiry.

Presumably attending a Monday afternoon Rotary Club luncheon at the Casa Monica wouldn’t be considered “Official City Business” even if the free parking permit were valid.

Nonetheless we published photographs of Boles personal vehicle that confirmed the allegations that he was, in fact, continuing to use the cancelled permit. The photographs show that Boles hid the identifying information handwritten on the permit that would have indicated to officers that the permit was invalid.

Our investigation into the misrepresentation and deceit is continuing.