FARMINGTON – Selectmen unanimously approved changes to the town’s parking ordinance Tuesday night following a brief public hearing.

Parking “shufflers” – those who relocate their vehicles to avoid tickets – can now be fined for exceeding the posted time limit.

Parkers observed removing or erasing chalk marks from tires to avoid penalties will also be fined, according to the adopted changes.

Many employees move their vehicles 10 minutes before the time limit, and now with the loss of about one-third of the parking in the Municipal Lot, Mainestone Jewelry owner Ron Gelinas urged the board to pass the measures.

“Anything that will help business thrive downtown would be great,” he said.

Before enforcing the new rules in the next few weeks, the police department plans to do some public education with downtown business owners so they will work with their employees, said Police Chief Richard Caton.

When employees park in the business area and move their vehicles throughout the day, it limits the space available for customers, said Caton who also serves on the Parking Committee. The changes were proposed by the committee.

Moving vehicles and erasing marks would have to be witnessed by an officer, Caton said. The department varies the times when police check vehicles downtown. This summer there will be a bicycle officer regularly checking vehicles, he said.

Other changes include reducing the number of overnight spaces from 11 to seven in the Park and Ride lot on the Intervale and not allowing parking on the south side of Bridge Street in West Farmington from the intersection of Bridge and Oakes streets for about 65 feet to a utility pole.

The board has the authority to vote and adopt the changes, Chairman Stephan Bunker said prior to the vote.

In other business, selectmen unanimously approved a $1.19 million sewer budget for 2009 and quarterly rates that will remain the same.