Oct. 14 mix-up causes students, area residents to have tickets waived

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.

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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.

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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.