Who gets a reserved parking space in Mystic?

I see the need for the governor to have an assigned car and driver, not just for security purposes, but because he's also expected to keep up with a hectic schedule that takes him around the state at all hours.

I also see the reason state police troopers are allowed to take their cruisers home. If nothing else, Connecticut residents should he happy for the additional police presence on the roads.

I'm still trying to decide, though, if I agree with the state Department of Transportation that the bridge tender for the Mystic drawbridge should have an assigned parking space downtown.

It is, in fact, the only nonpolice reserved parking space I can think of in parking-starved Mystic.

This interesting little job perk was brought to my attention recently by a Stonington resident who complained about the bridge tender's assigned parking space, which is on Cottrell Street, on the Stonington side, a short amble away from the bridge.

It is located next to two handicapped spaces and marked with a little sign: "Bridge keeper parking only."

What about all the dishwashers in town who barely make minimum wage, the resident complained to me, why don't they get their own spaces?

Can Mystic afford to give away another valuable space, after already losing some to streetscape improvements?

I asked Stonington town officials about the reserved spot for the tenders, and I hit a blank wall. They told me at Town Hall to call the state Department of Transportation, even though the parking spot is set aside on a town road.

A state DOT spokesman, quite naturally, I suppose, defended the need to provide the tenders a reserved spot.

After all, the spokesman said, the drawbridge is an important piece of transportation infrastructure in Mystic, one relied on by boaters and car drivers alike. It's also part of the town's history and atmosphere, he said.

The tenders work in three shifts, covering seven days a week, 24 hours a day during the prime season, between April 15 and Oct. 31.

During the off season they are assigned to other duties, like working at highway rest areas. The salary range is $33,719 to $42,700.

The state operates nine moveable bridges in all, and all the tenders in those locations have assigned parking, the DOT said.

The tradition of tenders using the same space in Mystic is old, according to the DOT spokesman. As one arrived at the start of a shift the person leaving from the last shift handed off the space.

The sign designating the space for tenders didn't appear until the recent streetscape improvements, the DOT spokesman said.

Maybe they should go back to the old system, without a sign.

That way no one has a reserved space that might cause offense, and other downtown parkers might be less bothered by a parking space hand-off.

More important, no one would probably even know it was happening.

This is the opinion of David Collins.