4/23 & 4/25 Caucus & Council Meetings

PERTH AMBOY – Scenario: An owner of a vehicle parks in a private lot. The car is towed. When the owner goes the following day (less than twelve hours time) to retrieve the vehicle he finds he has to pay a two day storage fee. Why is this so?

That is one of the questions brought to the forefront by Councilman Fernando Gonzalez addressing the plight of many Perth Amboy residents. These residents were complaining of inconsistencies of various towing companies. Fees can range anywhere from at least $30 to $120 to unhook a vehicle that has been lifted off the ground from a private lot. It was also reported that one woman did not have the original amount of money demanded by the tow company. He eventually released her car for whatever money she could pay.

There were also reports of predatory actions by private lots. The owners of the lots will have someone watching for patrons that leave the premises for other businesses so they can quickly swoop down and get those vehicles towed.

Some private parking lot owners warn patrons with signs stating the vehicle will be towed if you go anywhere else. Once you patronize another business the owners deem that you are parked in their lot illegally and have your car towed.

Deputy Police Chief Benny Ruiz stated, “The Council can draft an ordinance to prevent predatory actions (having someone watch drivers park in a private lot and go elsewhere to patronize another business then calling the towing company to have that car towed). Ruiz said that “We have met with the Towers Association Group and after that meeting some of them brought their towing fees down.”

Councilman Joel Pabon

Councilman Joel Pabon said that some towing companies are setting their own fees (pertaining to private lots). They have a practice of putting locking devices on the wheels until the owners of the vehicles can pay up.

Councilman Bill Petrick said, “Private lots are supposed to be under the same regulations as the City’s public lots and this is not being done.

Council President Kenneth Balut said, “The police department should make sure that this being done.”

Councilman Bill Petrick also stated, “It’s also a shame that residents that have parking decals can’t park in the spaces that are numbered on the streets.” At a previous meeting Petrick had said, “A lot of the numbered spaces at one time had meters there. It is a stupid law that the residents are now getting tickets for parking at previously metered spaces in their neighborhoods. I also saw that there were spots on Madison Avenue that are numbered which were not there before. Right now the law is stupid restricting residential parking to metered spaces only.”

B.A. Greg Fehrenbach said, “There will be more digital meters instead of pay stations. Three spaces on Hobart Street are needed to provide parking for customers going to nearby businesses.”

Councilman William Petrick

Petrick also brought up concerns about parking in the hospital section. “The signage has to be made clear so that drivers understand that they have to move their vehicles to another spot after two hours. Many people assume if you just keep feeding the meters you are okay. But they are getting tickets.”

In response to that, Fehrenbach stated, “It was the residents who live in the hospital area who drew up a petition asking for something to be done because of the lack of parking for them.”

Local resident and businessman David Caba said he and other City residents were concerned about illegal housing. “This has been around since previous administrations (dating back to Otlowski) The City hired two new inspectors. What are their experience in the inspection field? What kind of knowledge and training or schooling do they have since they work for the taxpayers.” He was very impressed by the inspector in Fairfield, New Jersey who knew every aspect of the job including electrical work. Caba continued, “In talking to two new hirees by the City of Perth Amboy, they were not knowledgeable when I asked them various questions. They came from Public Works with no inspection background in their history. As a realtor myself, I have to be knowledgeable in my field.”

“They did not know code compliances or the difference between a smoke and a carbon monoxide detector. This is a big safety issue.”

David Caba

“One landlord was fined $4000 because they was not given the correct information on what they had to do to come in compliance with the law.”

B.A. Greg Fehrenbach said, “The inspectors that were hired are being given on the job training. Their initial training dealt with sanitation regulation, property maintenance and illegal housing. One of the inspectors is an auxiliary police officer. They are not yet licensed for uniform fire safety and they are under guidance of a regular inspector.”

Fehrenbach continued, “When someone purchases property they are advised by an inspector what spaces are deemed uninhabitable but sometimes they ignore that request. Judges base fines on what they believe are appropriate. When we find illegal housing, we try to correct it and find that and hope it does not happen again.”

Councilman Fernando Gonzalez said, “There are some people that believe that they are being abused by housing inspectors. I would be glad to meet with Mr. Caba on this matter because we were both realtors and I need to research this matter.”

Council President Kenneth Balut said, “There is a serious fire hazard with old housing infrastructure and I’ve seen how Carteret handles this. Some people (city residents) who buy houses are given regulations as to what they can do to their homes but choose to ignore them.”

Councilman Fernando Gonzalez

Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez said, “He is sensitive to people who are struggling and need extra income which is why a lot of them take in extra tenants. When people purchase properties they may have to sign an affidavit to have attics not used for living spaces. If they ignore that affidavit and take in tenants illegally sometimes they are given a small fine. Say a fine of $500 or less it is worth it to them to violate that ordinance compared to the rents that they collect.”

Councilman Bill Petrick said, “Safety and health issues are involved here and we don’t want deaths occurring due to safety violations in their homes, apartments, etc.