ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
A car tries to navigate Lynn in the Tuesday snow.
By THOMAS GRILLO
LYNN — Henry DeLeon was one of the unlucky ones.
He woke up Wednesday morning to discover a $150 ticket on his late-model red Hyundai Sonata. The city’s snow emergency went into effect at midnight and he failed to remove his car from Madison Street.
Tuesday night’s nor’easter dumped more than a half foot of snow in Lynn and caused headaches for residents and city workers. Car owners scrambled to find lots to park their cars while plows tried to stay ahead of the long-duration storm.
DeLeon was one of 1,170 vehicle owners who received tickets during the region’s most recent blizzard. The motorists’ misfortune will fill the city’s coffers with $175,500.
Still, he should count himself among the fortunate ones who “only” got a ticket. The city towed 330 cars whose owners have to come up with not only the payment for the $150 ticket, but another $115, plus $35 a day to get their car back. That will bring the city at least another $99,000.
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At an appeal hearing Wednesday, DeLeon made his case to Robert Stilian, the city’s acting parking director, to get the ticket dismissed.
“I was parked in front of my house,” he said.
But Stilian was unmoved. He told DeLeon the snow emergency went into effect at midnight and parking was prohibited on any roadway until the ban was lifted in the morning.
“Would you at least consider lowering the fine?” DeLeon pleaded. “At $150, that’s a lot of money.”
Stilian declined.
“I can’t even take $1 off,” he said. “The city can’t plow if cars are parked on the street. It’s a matter of public safety, no exceptions.”
To avoid a ticket or tow, officials say use the city’s school parking lots. But be sure to be out by 6 a.m. or there’s a chance for a ticket and/or a tow.
Thomas Grillo can be reached at [email protected].