Three times will definitely not be a charm for parking offenders in Ketchum. Those drivers could soon find their cars accessorized with a wheel clamp.
At a meeting on Monday, Ketchum City Council approved a recommendation from the Police Department to enact a policy that allows for the immobilization of vehicles with three or more overdue parking citations linked to their owner.
Ketchum Police Sgt. Dave Kassner told the council that the owner of a vehicle would have 15 days to respond with payment after receiving a mailed notice that he or she has three or more tickets.
If the owner does not pay, the police can then immobilize the car with a boot the next time the vehicle is seen on a public right of way. The owner would have to pay a $50 fee to remove the boot, along with all outstanding fines and fees. A sticker will be applied to the vehicle instructing the owner who to contact to get the boot removed.
Kassner said that the $50 removal charge should quickly recover the cost of the two Rhino Wheel Immobilizers his department is planning on purchasing for just over $900 for the pair. Because the cost is below $5,000, the Police Department is not required to ask for bids, as usually mandated by the city.
Kassner said more than 150 vehicles that have received three or more outstanding parking citations since 2006. The owners of those cars will be noticed and placed on a "scofflaw list." With the wheel clamps anticipated to be in service by the end of the month, Kassner said it shouldn't be long before they are used on offenders.
"I expect once people see this happening, the revenue from outstanding tickets will start to pour in," Kassner said.
City parking laws already allow for the Police Department to tow and impound vehicles at the owner's expense. The charge for the tow is $100 in addition to a daily storage fee of $35 once it's impounded.
Kassner said that if the car remains immobilized with the boot for around 12 hours or more, it would then be towed.
The ordinance was amended to allow offenders 15 days to appeal a parking ticket. If payment is not made within that time and an appeal is not made, an additional $5 charge is added to the ticket.
