Drivers still adjusting to permit system

The new MHCC parking permit system has been in effect for just over a month and Gale Blessing, director of safety and security, said a major problem thus far is that many drivers are failing to properly display their permit.

“The failure to display a permit is a common practice at two- and four-year colleges,” Blessing said. “If for some reason they do not have their permit with them, their other option is to buy a day permit at one of our pay stations.

“We saw a big rush on getting permits during the first few weeks but now the number of purchases has significantly declined,” Blessing said.

“However we are seeing a steady number of day permits purchased each day that hasn’t increased or decreased,” Blessing said.

“Some students have chosen to buy day permits.” Blessing said.

She said the college is selling close to one hundred day-permits a day. “There are a number of reasons, such as guests coming in, or students for whatever reason have not chosen to buy a term permit and bought a day permit,” she added.

Blessing said the parking enforcement staff is paid for by the proceeds from the parking permits and are providing extra security presence in the parking lots. Anything suspicious they see, they report to MHCC public safety officers so they can immediately respond. Parking enforcement staff, however, are not public safety officers themselves.

“(There are) two part-time parking enforcement staff in addition to our public safety officers and our campus watch staff (volunteers and work study students).”

“They go through training and must be here a while; they don’t just automatically get to do that (give out tickets),” said Blessing.
The parking enforcement staff patrols by foot and by vehicle, said Blessing. The morning person starts in one area and the afternoon person goes in the opposite direction.

Tickets must be appealed within 14 calendar days if the student chooses that route. They may log into MyMHCC and appeal it online or by picking up a form in the office.The citation review committee regularly meets on the first Wednesday of the month from noon-1 p.m. According to Blessing, because of the large number of citations, the committee is meeting weekly on Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for the month of November only.

“(This is) to make sure we catch up. We hope we can move back to meeting once a month. We hope students are obtaining permits.” Blessing said.

Public Safety will start selling permits for winter term on Nov. 22, said Blessing, which is the first day returning students can register for classes.

On Dec. 5 from 9-10:50 a.m. and 6-9 p.m., ESL and ENL students can find assistance and translations in purchasing permits.

There will be an extended period of time to purchase permits, as they will go on sale in mid-November, as well as a grace period, which probably will not end until the third week in January, said Blessing.

“There is essentially two months to obtain a permit.” Blessing said.

“We expect fewer students to purchase (permits in winter term) because many purchased annual permits in September,” Blessing said.

There are two ticket kiosks, one located between lots D and E and one near the HPE building.

“(We) planned to add several more (pay machines) but that was not cost effective at the beginning of the program,” said Blessing. The pay machines cost a lot of money for the electrical work and it would not generate revenue, she said.

Blessing said staff does not have to pay for parking permits because “it is in their collective bargaining agreements, their union contract. It specifies that they get free parking.”

“We distributed about 6,000 permits, including employees, under the collective bargaining agreements,” Blessing said.

Parking permits are only applicable at the Gresham campus, not the Maywood Campus or the Bruning Center.