Parking Division grants all appeals to inconvenienced people
Kate Galbreath
Daily Egyptian
In a decision Todd Sigler, director of Public Safety, called "extremely
gracious," the Parking Division granted all appeals from students and
area residents inconvenienced by an Oct. 14 mix-up.
Nearly two weeks ago, students planning to appeal their cases from 10
a.m. until noon were surprised to find the Traffic Appeals Board, which
hears and evaluates disputed parking tickets, absent. Many waited late
into the afternoon to appear before the five-member panel, and then were
disappointed to find the Parking Division was granting all appeals to
those who did not or could not appear in the afternoon.
The initial decision following an assessment of the controversy was
announced Tuesday and reversed Friday. Sigler said 41 students and area
residents would receive notice of their granted appeals in the mail,
along with an apology for the confusion.
"We were trying to be as fair and consistent as possible," Sigler said.
"[This is] easier and fairer across the board."
Brain Mager, director of the parking division, did not respond to
numerous inquiries from the DAILY EGYPTIAN last week.
Joel Willis, an area resident who missed work to appear before the
appeals board in the afternoon, said he is "absolutely satisfied" with
the decision to grant all appeals.
"I was happy," Willis said. "I thought it was just."
Willis said he received a parking ticket when he drove his sister's car
and parked in a visitor space without realizing the car bore an SIUC
decal.
"I was going to appeal, and I was going to say 'I'm not a student. I
parked in a visitor spot like I usually do'," Willis said.
Since receiving the ticket, he was issued another when a campus police
officer incorrectly assumed he was a student illegally parking in a
visitor spot, though his own car has no decal.
Some students and area residents are still unaware their appeals have
been granted, and Willis only learned when he appeared at the campus
police station to contest the second ticket.
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