28E Agreement would allow county to put a ‘stop’ on residents vehicle registration renewal if they had outstanding parking tickets

The City of Mt. Pleasant and Henry County may enter into a 28E Agreement that would allow the Treasurer's Office to refuse to renew a vehicle registration for a customer until they have paid their delinquent parking tickets to the city. The agreement is permissible by the Code of Iowa.

Ana Lair, Henry County treasurer, introduced the idea of the 28E Agreement to supervisors during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Thursday, April 4.

'What happens is the city provides (the Treasurer's Office) with a list of parking ticket debtors. We put a stop on their vehicle registration. When the customer comes in, we say you owe the city, you pay them, the city lets us know and people can then renew their vehicle (registration),” Lair said.

This process of putting a stop on vehicle registration already occurs for people who have corporate court debts, debts with the Department of Revenue, or for those who have to pay child support, Lair said.

The stop can only be applied to Henry County residents. Lair said if someone, for example, moves to Des Moines County and renews their vehicle there, Des Moines County cannot honor the stop.

'We see that now,” Lair said. 'Someone might have a stop from Polk County or Jefferson County. If it's a parking ticket stop, we can inform them of it but we cannot refuse to register their vehicle.”

Supervisor Greg Moeller voiced concern that other cities in Henry County will want similar 28E Agreements with Henry County. Lair said that she has considered that and would feel differently about it if other cities asked for similar agreements.

Lair said sending other city's residents back to their cities to pay their delinquent fines before they could come back to the Henry County Courthouse for to renew their vehicle registration would not be good customer service.

Supervisor Gary See said he is 'OK” with Lair pursuing the 28E Agreement.

Supervisor Marc Lindeen agreed.

Supervisors agreed to take a look at a 28E Agreement that will be drafted by the City of Mt. Pleasant and approved by the County Attorney's Office. Supervisors have final approval of whether they will adopt the 28E Agreement.