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Resident disputes snowstorm towing after 24-hour parking enforcement; council promises review
Summary
A Hawthorne resident said her vehicle was ticketed and towed after she could not move it during a family medical emergency; the council and police described standard practice of leaving a summons on vehicles and said they would review towing charges.
A Hawthorne resident told the council during public comment that town enforcement of the borough—s 24-hour parking rule led to a costly tow during a recent snow event and asked the council to review procedures for notifying residents.
Justina Bittman said her husband was hospitalized and could not move the family car, which remained on Pasadena during the storm. She said the vehicle received a citation left on the windshield and was towed to Patterson. The invoice she presented listed towing, winch and storage fees that together approached $400.
Bittman told the council she did not receive a mailed notice or other direct notification of the citation and that, had she known, she would have moved the car or otherwise arranged parking. "I wouldn't have seen it. I don't go to that car, nor does my husband at this point," she said of the ticket placed on the windshield.
Municipal officials and the borough attorney explained that the borough code (section 505.49) prohibits parking on the roadway for longer than 24 hours and that, under current practice, summonses are placed on the vehicle when an owner cannot be located. Attorney Michael Pasquale said the law allows officers to leave the ticket on the windshield rather than personally serving the owner. Council members and the mayor said the police department does sometimes make notations and waive enforcement when residents notify them in advance of temporary disability or extended absence, but they also acknowledged this case required internal review.
The council asked Bittman to leave the towing invoice with borough staff so officials could compare the charges to the municipality's authorized tow-fee schedule. Pasquale said the borough will review whether the tow vendor applied fees correctly and whether additional steps could be taken to alert owners in similar circumstances.
Why it matters: Enforcement of street-clearing and parking ordinances after storms affects residents who cannot move vehicles because of medical or other emergencies. The resident sought both relief from the towing charges and a review of notification procedures.
No council vote was taken on the matter during public comment; council members expressed sympathy, and the administration said it would follow up with the resident and the police department to review towing fees and the ticketing/notification process.
