Cd'A considers parking ticket appeals 'judge'

COEUR d'ALENE — If you want to challenge a parking ticket you were issued in Coeur d'Alene, you might be facing a new judge: Deputy City Administrator Sam Taylor.

On a rotating basis, one of the nine members of the Coeur d'Alene Parking Commission reviews each parking ticket appeal and either accepts or denies it in writing. That process, according to Parking Commission Vice Chair Mark Rogers, has created challenges for the volunteer commissioners, who Rogers said often have different ideas about how parking ticket protocol should be followed. 

"There was a motion to get a consistent set of standards, and that led to Sam volunteering to take the whole thing over," Rogers said. “We want to have one person overseeing the whole process, rather than trying to help each other through the process. We want to be in a place where we have consistency and everything is handled in a professional manner."

The appeals process itself, Taylor said, will not change. An individual who receives a parking ticket has 10 days to file an appeal and, if the Coeur d'Alene City Council approves the proposal tonight, Taylor would have 15 days to issue a written decision to the appellant.

According to information provided by Taylor, the parking commission receives the most appeals during the summer. However, he added, since the number of appeals is so low — 18 in June, 7 in July, and 23 in August — his taking over the process will not "be a major increased burden on our time."

When asked by The Press if he’s worried about one individual at the city being the sole decision-maker on appeals, Taylor said the proposed method is common among other municipalities. He added public administrators such as himself have experience and education that assist them in making decisions on the appeals.

"Providing for an administrative appeal with staff will ensure community members are receiving the same standards and consistent decision making for each ticket," Taylor said. "I’m comfortable doing it and I’m happy to alleviate the burden from these community volunteers."

Mayor Steve Widmyer, who has served on the commission, told The Press Monday that when parking ticket appeals were rotated among members there was "not a real consistent appeal procedure."

"It was subject to the interpretation of different volunteers who weren't necessarily fully up to speed on the law," Widmyer added. "This new process moves the procedure to one staff person who will be fully trained on law and procedure, providing for much better consistency and adherence to the law and policy."

The proposal is a part of a larger push by Taylor, and the parking commission itself, to refine how parking issues are handled in Coeur d'Alene. Tonight the council will also decide if the city should spend $6,776.04 to start sending letters to those with unpaid parking tickets, encouraging them to pay before the matter is sent to a collections agency.

Taylor wrote in a report to the council that the funds will be used to send 8,415 letters because, of the 24,949 unpaid parking tickets issued to Idaho residents during the last four years, most people who have not paid have multiple unpaid tickets. The funds, he added, will also be used to access data on those who live in Washington and have unpaid tickets, as well as for future collections.

Rogers told The Press he’s excited to have Taylor on board, and the commission appreciates having a fresh set of eyes on a longstanding issue.

"Parking has been a problem in Coeur d'Alene for as long as anyone can remember," he said. "Now that we are taking steps to modernize our equipment and process, we will finally bring great benefit to the citizens of Coeur d'Alene in this area."