Enforcement of borough towing ordinance brought into question
SHENANDOAH – Representatives of two Shenandoah towing companies spoke at Monday’s meeting of borough council about the recently-passed towing ordinance.
The borough passed an ordinance in the fall, mandating a towing rotation for tows ordered by borough police, and requiring a license for towing companies and tow truck operators in the borough.
Ruth and Dwight Williams, owners of Talk Of Town Towing, have lobbied council to receive calls for service from borough police for the past several years. Steve’s Towing has been the go-to towing company for borough police for years.
At Monday’s council meeting, Ruth Williams said she and Dwight were at the scene when a home collapsed onto a car on South Bower Street on Jan. 4, and she said she was denied the opportunity to tow the vehicle. Her company’s tow yard is a block from the scene of the collapse.
She said that her company, despite the borough’s ordinance, has not received a call for service.
Ruth Williams asked council about borough and police procedures regarding towing.
“Can we get these questions answered, speaking with the chief and officer-in-charge,” Council Vice-President Leo Pietkiewicz said.
“I would like to do that, but, Leo, I’ve been trying for almost two years,” Ruth Williams said.
“Let me put my neck out on the line, and say I will get answers,” Pietkiewicz said. “In conjunction with our mayor, we will get a rotating list of the applications that have been filed, towing companies only, with a timeframe of response time, first one called, doesn’t respond in 15 minutes, next one called. That’s only if we need emergency towing.”
Pietkiewicz said a log would be maintained and if a vehicle owner requests their own company, it should be noted.
“I’m aggravated, if there’s one thing I like, it’s procedure and lists,” Council President Katie Catizone said. “I don’t see why they [borough police] can’t take 30 seconds out to write six things down on a list.”
“The ordinance was passed,” Catizone added. “I think it needs to be followed.”
“We will get it straightened out,” Pietkiewicz said.
Ruth Williams added that she had heard from towing companies that were met with similar issues when trying to serve Shenandoah. She also added that requiring a license and fees and drawing more companies to town would then bring in more revenue.
“More towing providers, more money,” she said.
Adam Slavinsky, an employee of Steve’s Towing, then questioned the borough on the ordinance, asking if any tow operator was given a license.
Solicitor James Amato said two applications were received.
“We didn’t follow the ordinance the way it’s written,” Pietkiewicz said.
Slavinsky said he was contacted on Jan. 4 and told his company would not provide services in town.
“Steve’s Towing is not towing in this town, at all,” Slavinsky said.
Slavinsky added that, as of right now, the borough has no rotation, let alone licensed tow operators.
“If nobody has a license, how are they going to do [the job],” Slavinsky questioned.
Catizone questioned why Slavinsky was argumentative.
“You’re affected my business, my livelihood. Our livelihood, all of us,” he said, referring to Talk Of Town and other local towing operators. Slavinsky also questioned why council hadn’t consulted with the operators.
“Instead of wasted all this time and taxpayer money, just open a rotation. Let these guys tow, let us tow, let him tow,” Slavinsky said.
“In order for you to create a rotation, you have to have an ordinance,” Amato said.
“Since the ordinance was passed, there’s yet one tow license that the borough has charged for,” Dwight Williams said. “There’s not one dollar that the borough has made from this ordinance yet.”
“What happens if we leave here right now and someone gets into an auto accident,” Dwight Williams added. “Do I get fined for towing the car? Does Steve’s get fined for towing the car if we don’t have a tow license? What’s the procedure there, because neither one of us have a tow license.”
The ordinance has provisions for civil penalties for illegal solicitation of work, as well as the impounding of unlicensed tow trucks.
“We say we want applicants to file, two applicants have filed, and we did not issue a license,” Pietkiewicz said. “We’re wrong.”
Slavinsky added that the borough’s actions have created unnecessary tension between the towing companies.
“It has nothing to do with either one of us,” Slavinsky said.
“My company has nothing personal against Steve’s,” Ruth Williams said. “We just want a fair opportunity to do business, just like Steve’s Towing.”
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