- *Audiophiliac "The Other Steve Guttenberg"
- *Involuntary Slacker
- *LostRemote
- *Media Nation - Dan Kennedy
- *Universalhub
Update: Situation resolved. When I need to use the lot again in the Summer, I’ll have to work out a “special” deal so that they’re aware upfront I only need June-July-August. It seems as though they’re used to long term users and don’t really have a standard way of addressing on-again off-again parkers. For shorter vacations, the T Garage is a better alternative at only two dollars a day.
First of all, I’d like to say that this is the friendliest parking department I’ve ever dealt with - not that I’ve dealt with many. In fact, people at Lynn City Hall are generally very nice and will go out of their way to help someone. I don’t dread bureaucratic run-arounds when I go there at all.
The problem is that with two jobs, I hardly have the time to go there at all. I can’t even make their 8pm closing times on Tuesdays.
That’s how I got myself in a bit of a jam. As a teacher, my schedule changes in the Summer. I need to keep my car parked downtown later into the day, which necessitates a lot. I was using the Buffum St. lot through pretty much the end of August. The tag for my car said it expired on Oct. 7th. You can pay upfront. [They don’t send monthly bills, either way. You have to just remember to pay.] So, I let it expire - or so I thought!
Apparently, the expiration on the tag only means that the tag expires. Literally. I recently received a letter from the Parking Department saying I was past due. Over $200 past due. There is a piece of paper they give you when you first get your tag that actually says to call if you are no longer going to use the lot, but what isn’t clear is that even if your tag expires, you still must call. I don’t understand the purpose in that. I don’t see the point in stamping unique expiration dates on the parking tags if they don’t actually expire. One could be paid up and still have an expired tag, or behind two months and still have a current tag. How do they keep track?
I wonder. Is there a way the Parking Department can remain personable while leaping into the 21st century? Would I’d really like is the ability to pay and keep track of my status online. They told me I could have sent a letter when I was there yesterday. How quaint!
I’m going to bring them the original tag today, as part of some sort of appeal process, I suppose. If I didn’t have school vacation I don’t even know how I would do this. Oh yeah.. the mail. At least they’re nice. I’ll post an update when I have one. In the meantime, if you live downtown and maybe want to park there, consider yourself notified.