141.10 ADMINISTRATIVE TOWING FEES.

   (a)    An administrative towing fee is hereby established and the Police Department is hereby authorized to charge an administrative towing fee in the amount of thirty dollars ($30.00) to the owner of any vehicle seeking release of the vehicle from impound. The administrative towing fee shall not be applicable in the event that the vehicle is not returned to, or claimed by, the owner and shall be in addition to any fee that is charged by any agency that contracts with the City of Independence for police-ordered tows. Such fee may be increased from time to time by the City's Safety Director to reflect the actual increase in costs associated with processing the police ordered tow of a vehicle. The Safety Director shall notify Council of such increases not less than thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of the increase.

   (b)    The Safety Director, or his or her designee, is hereby authorized to enter into one or more service contracts for the towing of vehicles as the result of an order of a sworn member of the Police Department, including but not limited to the collection of and transmittal to the City the administrative fees established in subsection (a) hereof.

   (c)    The Chief of Police, or his or her designee, may waive administrative fees based upon good reason or hardship as determined by the Chief of Police, or his or her designee.

   (d)    All fees collected under this Section shall be deposited into the City's General Fund. (Ord. 2023-77. Passed 7-11-23.)