South Heart tickets Christmas morning

Talk about it

After a sudden blizzard dumped copious amounts of snow in the area, a few South Heart residents awoke Christmas morning to a parking ticket.

A few residents on Bruce Avenue received $50 citations for having a “vehicle in violation of no parking during snow removal” after a Christmas Eve storm struck.

Resident Susan Wagner said her husband Gordy Wagner’s work truck received a citation for being parked in the street.

The Wagner’s ticket was issued at 8:20 a.m. on Dec. 25.

Susan Wagner said from what she recalls, snow plows did not clean up around her home until the morning of Dec. 26.

“It wouldn’t have been so bad if they would move snow more than what they do,” Susan Wagner said. “Give us an advance notice that you are doing it and I’ll gladly move my vehicle.”

Another South Heart resident, Todd Marschner, also received a $50 ticket issued in the 8 a.m. hour.

City Councilman Quain Kudrna, who is in charge of the city’s snow removal, said he began plowing streets between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.

Both Marschner and Wagner said the ticketed vehicles are ones they use on a regular basis.

“This is an issue that seems very unfair to the citizens of South Heart,” Marschner said in an e-mail, Wednesday morning. “For a small community who wants to attract new people and promote a friendly community, this is quite a Christmas gift to wake up to Christmas morning.”

Marschner said City Councilman Chuck Andrus told him on Monday that about 12 tickets were issued.

Andrus said he could not confirm the number issued.

Tickets were signed by South Heart Police Chief Linda Mosbrucker.

Several phone calls to Mosbrucker and South Heart Mayor Floyd Hurt went unreturned.

Andrus said a letter was sent to South Heart residents in November or December, stating when snow abounds, vehicles need to be off city streets.

Andrus was not aware if any time frame existed for removal of the vehicles prior to being ticketed.

Kudrna said he believes the ordinance states that if it snows during the night, vehicles should be moved the next day.

“We knew it (snow) was coming, the citizens knew it was coming and they should have taken some proper planning for it,” Andrus said. “Of course it was very unfortunate it did happen over a major holiday, but in this small town we have to have people out when they can get out and clear the streets.”

Andrus said he is hoping the policy’s time frame can be clarified for future occurrences.

Dickinson Police Department Officer Nigel Sims said under normal circumstances in Dickinson, individuals have two days to move their vehicles prior to receiving a $15 ticket.

During times of snow events, it is the officer’s discretion whether or not to issue a ticket, Sims said.

Citation recipients have one week to pay the fine. However, the ticket does not offer the option of appealing the fine through the court system, Susan Wagner said.

Tags: news, local, south, heart