Tecumseh Bringing Parking Ticket Appeals In-House

Tecumseh Council has decided to bring parking ticket appeals in-house.

At its meeting on Tuesday night, it was decided to approve a recommendation for three staff members to be given the authority to reduce or waive parking ticket fines that are appealed. 

"The director of the department that oversees bylaw enforcement, a manager from our clerk's office and an additional staff person who can hear those appeals for parking tickets and make a decision as whether to void them, adjust them or let them stand," says Ward 1 Councillor Andrew Dowie.

Previously, any appeals would have to go through the OPP, which Dowie says could take a very long time.

"There's I guess an efficiency matter to it that it's something the municipality may be better positioned to do," Dowie adds. "But also there are legislative changes that are happening with the community safety and policing act that will really take away the role of the OPP in processing these tickets."

Dowie says it still needs to be worked out how somebody goes about appealing a parking ticket once the new process is put into place.

"That's more of a procedural matter, it's not so much of a policy or something that requires approval by council so that would be determined administratively."

The next step in the process will be for council to approve the new by-law at a future meeting. Dowie says there is no timeline on when exactly that will be but he hopes it will be soon.