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City reinstates administrative traffic tickets

WESTBROOK -- At last week's city council meeting Police Chief Alan Wahl asked the council if they would reinstate the Administrative Ticket Ordinance.

The ordinance which allows certain traffic violations to be handled by the city, with a lower cost to the individual, and the city keeping the fine money.

The administrative would be used only for certain offenses including cross traffic parking, illegal U turns, and snow parking.

Persons receiving an administrative ticket would have 10 days to pay the fine at the city clerks office. The fine would be about half of what the fine would be if they went to county court.

Originally the council passed the ordinance back in March.

Since that time Wahl discovered due to unallot-ment by the governor, if they used the administrative tickets the state would take a third of the fine money, plus the city would have to purchase special tickets from the state, and complete more paper work. So in July the council decided it was not worth the hassle to run the program and voted to rescind the program.

Meanwhile Chief Wahl discovered cities running the program through local ordinance rather than state statute, could run the program and not have to comply with the state by sending in a third of the fines or use their tickets. In light of this new information the council voted to reinstate the program.

Wahl also told the council they will have to sign a document from the county of their intention to participate in the new 800 megahertz radio system. At a previous meeting the council had approved participation in the program by passing a resolution to that effect.

The council asked why they needed to do it again, and Wahl explained they need it'ori a special document in order to apply for the grant to help fund the purchase of the new system. Mayor Rocky Kolar said when they receive the paper work he will see that it gets taken care of.

The council addressed the issue of several vacant residential properties in the city. Some are known to be inhabitable, and Kolar told the council he would like to get their approval to have them inspected by a licensed building inspector.

If an inspector finds the buildings are inhabitable then the city could issue letters requiring the owners to make necessary improvements to the properties within 60 days. After that if they are still deemed inhabitable then the city can proceed to have them removed. The council voted to proceed with the process.

Mayor Kolar told the council he negotiated with the city's auditing firm Abdo, Eick, and Meyers to lower the cost of the city audit. The firm agreed to lower the cost to no more than $10,000.

The council reviewed the city budget for 2010. Kolar said "we have cut as much as we possible can." The council approved the preliminary budget levy at 171,674.00 an increase of 12 percent which is slightly lower than last year.

Three building permits were approved. Larry Cherry for a metal storage



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© 2009 Sentinel Tribune Westbrook, Minnesota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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