Parking ticket 'dodgers' in Brockport
have until April 30 to pay up

Under a recently approved measure, Village of Brockport trustees unanimously carried a motion authorizing an "amnesty period" for individuals with unpaid parking tickets. The amnesty period ends April 30.

In the past, the village has handled the collection of parking ticket fines and penalties. It was recently brought to the village's attention that since it does not have its own justice court, this function must be handled by the Town of Sweden Court. "As of June first, the village will no longer have anything to do with parking tickets other than the police department's involvement in issuing them," Leslie Morelli, village clerk, told the board.

Fines and penalties collected for the tickets by the Town of Sweden Court will get turned over to the village. The village will also be responsible to pay a monthly fee of approximately $1,000 to Statewide Computers for data entry and mailing of the delinquent notices.

Morelli said there are 2,309 outstanding parking tickets, some which date back to 1987. Some of the original fines were $10, but most are $25. After 30 days, the $25 fine gets a $30 late penalty added to it.

Notices have been mailed to all those with delinquent parking tickets, Morelli said. "There are few repercussions for not paying unless a person has three unpaid tickets within an 18-month period," she explained. "The DMV then considers them a scofflaw and they are blocked from re-gistering their vehicles until they pay off their tickets."

The original outstanding parking fines, Morelli reported, could total between $45,000 and $57,000.

Statewide Computers could get notices out by April 5 and request payment of original fines by May 1. After May 1, the late penalties would again apply.