MONTICELLO  — The Village of Monticello’s proposed Local Law #12 of 2024 discusses the “Expiration and Transfer of Towing License”.

A public hearing was held on this proposed local law Wednesday afternoon prior to its unanimous adoption in which Village residents voiced questions and concerns on the wording of the Law.

Village Attorney Michael Sussman affirmed that this ordinance is not directed at any specific operator, but is intended to facilitate the issuance of these licenses and allow for a moral process for the Village Clerk.

The first to speak was a lady who identified herself as Helen from Prestige Towing, who spoke on the expiration date by the Local Law.

“I believe we had to have our contracts in by September 13th,” assessed Helen. “That went to hell because that did not happen.”

She clarified that if the Village sent a letter that all license renewal applications had to be in by September 13 but they weren’t.

“We went through three different tow lists where we added, we subtracted, we added. Is that going to be changed as well?”

Trustee John Barbarite clarified that the way he understood the Law was that the Village Clerk sent towing license renewal letters which was contrary to what the Village Law called for.

“We put what the current practice is into the law. This is something you’ve been doing for a couple years now but we’re putting the language into the law.”

Bill Sedlack of Sedlack Auto Body asked if the deadline wasn’t going to be January 1st, but the “end of the summer date” which Barbarite affirmed, including the question that a company could be “added on at any time”.

The next person to speak was Gary Mann of New York Truck Parts Inc. He spoke of when the emails for renewal were sent out, his email was an address that he’s never “heard of in his life”. His company had only found out after having the email forwarded from another towing company and him discovering the error.

Another thing he mentioned was based on his perception of the wording:

“If a tow company wants to get on the list, they can get on the list anytime they want. Somebody new can come in anytime they want and renew their license.”

Sussman answered that nobody has a vested right to determine who is on that list.

“From the point of view of the Village, no one has a vested right to say ‘that’s all [who can be on the list],’” said Sussman. “That [new company renewal] is true of the prior law and will remain true [of what Mann said].”

Attorney Dominique Mendez spoke on behalf of Sean Brooks from Prestige Towing.

She shared that what she thought operators were primarily concerned about were “penalties” for abiding by the deadline.

“So there might be an unfair advantage when it comes to efficiency on the administration side,” explained Mendez. “If one tow company doesn’t play by the rules and doesn’t approach the deadline as seriously as another, can you address your efficiency as a Board?”

Barbarite responded that if a current tow truck company doesn’t want to send in their application they don’t have to and they just won’t have a license in the Village.

“If they send it in late, they’ll be granted a license,” said Barbarite.

Brooks spoke on how it “really doesn’t make a difference - as Ms. Gandy just stated - when an application comes.”

“You don’t need this law because you yourself said after you approve this law, anybody can come in at anytime and re-add themselves. So a date like Ms. Gandy just said is irrelevant.”

He felt that this wording to the law of changing the date was “irrelevant”.

Sussman also added that this law allows for the Village Clerk to change one’s truck from one to another without coming to the Board.

“If someone comes in in November as an example, that entity’s expiration date is still going to be the same - that is September 30th.”