MOORHEAD – Those who want to dispute a parking ticket here need to take it up with the police chief.
But that might change after tonight if the City Council votes to hire independent hearing officers who would field ticket complaints.
The proposed change was spurred by a citizen whose lawyer talked with City Attorney John Shockley, Police Chief David Ebinger said.
Shockley determined the city's current process was OK, but making a change would "take it to the total transparency," according to Ebinger. Shockley could not be reached Friday for comment.
The chief said he does not see anything wrong with the status quo, but added, "I don't have a problem with giving people more options."
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The proposal calls for hiring hearing officers, at a cost of no more than $8,000 a year, to handle parking ticket appeals. The officers would be part-time and hold hearings once a week.
The proposal also enables a parking ticket to be classified as an administrative rather than criminal offense.
The issue of dangerous dogs would also come under the purview of the hearing officers. Currently, a person whose dog is classified as dangerous, or potentially dangerous, can appeal to City Manager Michael Redlinger.
