New parking device to roll out in Columbia

This week, Columbia Public Works will be rolling out a new way to deal with people who have not paid their parking tickets.

The new device, “The Barnacle,” will replace the method of towing people when they have more than four unpaid parking tickets.

Dave Nichols, the director of Columbia Public Works, says towing takes a lot of staff time and costs the person towed a lot of money to get their car back.

The Barnacle, which attaches to your car windshield, can come off after a staff member punches in a code. It will cost an estimated $50 per Barnacle removal.