Board recommends tow-service agreement, sets 8 a.m.–5 p.m. pickup hours

The Schererville Board of Safety voted April 2 to recommend a tow-service provider agreement to the Town Council and to request further review by the town attorney and the municipal insurance carrier.

Police Chief Pete Sormoz presented the draft agreement, saying it formalizes performance and operational standards for tow firms used by the police department. "We're also gonna have them distinctly display the fees so that so everybody understands what they're paying for at those desks, so we don't have any ... we don't want any additional fees or hidden fees," Sormoz said.

Town Attorney Christian Bartholomew told the board the draft is largely in good shape but lacks two specified items required by statute or ordinance: the hours when vehicle owners may access towed vehicles and the surety-bond amount tow companies must post. "They have to specify when owners will have [access]," Bartholomew said, adding that the hours and bond figure can differ by provider but must be stated in the contract.

Board members debated practical hours for owner access and whether the long-standing $5,000 bonding requirement remains sufficient. Several members described $5,000 as outdated and suggested higher levels; one member proposed $25,000 while another recommended $10,000 as a minimal increase. Chief Sormoz said the draft includes minimum insurance coverage, noting a baseline of $1,000,000 per occurrence in the version submitted for review, and that staff would forward the draft to the town insurance carrier and town attorney for final recommendations.

After discussion the board moved and seconded a recommendation to send the draft to the Town Council with operating hours specified as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The roll-call vote was unanimous in favor.

The council will receive the board's recommendation along with any suggested bond and insurance figures from the town attorney and insurance carrier; the agreement will return to the council for final action.