
Whether it means cancelling classes or parking the shuttle bus for the day, the winter snow can cause some major issues for the Plymouth community. However, the biggest issue on this campus has come to be snow removal and lot maintenance. With the major storms that have come through the state in the past few weeks, leaving behind feet of snow, students and faculty are faced with needing to move their cars to accommodate the plows. Failure to do so can end pretty badly, PSU students have to pay 130 dollars to get their car towed. If a student does not pay the fine a hold can be put on a student’s class registration.
Joshua Smith, a drawing major, had his car towed on Thursday, Feb 28th at lot 411 (located off Weak Street). Smith’s car was towed around 9:20 AM. “I had my keys in my hand. There were two trucks in the lot and one was blocking me in,” said Smith. Smith said his car was moved because it was interfering with lot maintenance.
Smith was “under the impression that the lots were all plowed at 12:20,” Smith said, adding, “the police officer told me on the phone that all lots were plowed at 12:20.” According to the University Police Department (UPD) lot maintenance schedule, no vehicles are allowed at lot 411 on Thursday from 9:30 and 10:30 AM. The lot maintenance schedule has been intact since December 1st. Administrative personnel parking enforcer, Gerry Evans, states “we want to keep the times consistent. We wouldn’t want to put students out in a blizzard”.
Allegedly, when Smith attempted to approach the tow truck driver, an officer “shouted at me ‘back off’ or something to that effect, and had already become confrontational,” said Smith. He later remarked, “the police actively attempted to extort money from me.” Allegedly, the tow truck driver wouldn’t tow Joshua’s car if Josh gave the driver 100 dollars.
“I believe she [the officer] was endorsing the extortion itself,” said Smith. Smith later commented “I believe she had a hand in that action.”
Gerry Evans commented on the incident by saying “the vehicle is theirs [the towing company], the University Police Department has nothing to do with it.” UPD has made an agreement with a local towing company to not move students’ cars to an impound lot. Instead, cars are moved to available parking spaces on campus.
If a PSU student does not move their car during lot maintenance the university faces “a considerable amount of liability, a vehicle could be struck or damaged, ” said Evans.
Frank Cocchiarella, the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, stated UPD does “everything we can do to not get their [students] cars towed.”
Smith still believes foul play was at hand, despite the administrations strict policies.
Evans suggested that PSU students could avoid getting their car towed by paying attention to lot maintenance information. “Don’t make an assumption that the university should move your car,” said Evans, “There are really no excuses for not moving your vehicle.”