Medina asked to modify towing policy that currently favors companies inside village
MEDINA – A towing policy from the 1980s keeps towing companies outside the villages from doing work inside the villages when there are accidents.
Shawn Callard, owner of Automotive Solutions on Ridge Road in Medina, is asking the village of Medina to either change the policy or allow him to have an impound lot inside the village. Callard thinks running part of his business inside the village would them make him eligible for tows in Medina. However, the towing policy reads that towing calls should go to towing companies with their business within a village.
Callard is looking at having an impound lot at a Mahar Street site. His primary business location would remain on Ridge Road. He asked the Village Board to make a decision about the towing policy. If he isn’t allowed to tow inside the village, he said he won’t open the impound lot.
Callard and the Village Board have been discussing the issue in recent months.
Callard does tows in the county outside the villages. He is called by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department as part of a rotation among the towing companies.
But in Medina, Lyons Collision gets all of the calls. Callard would like to see the calls split, with Lyons and Automotive Solutions each on duty for two weeks each month.
Mayor Mike Sidari said the towing policy was drafted in the 1980s by the former sheriff, police chiefs at the villages, and the local towing operators.
Callard said he has the equipment and proper insurance to do the job.
“Not anyone can come in and do this,” he said.
Village Trustee Owen Toale said he didn’t want to create policies that steer business to some towing companies. If the village worked with the county to change the policy, Toale said it would benefit Automotive Solutions.
“The government shouldn’t step in and say you have to use a certain towing company,” Toale said during Monday’s village board meeting.
But Callard said the government has directed all of the towing business in Medina to Lyons Collision.
Trustee Tim Elliott said he would favor looking at the policy, with input from the county, current Sheriff Randy Bower, police chiefs and the towing companies.
Mayor Mike Sidari said he is open to looking at a towing policy “for the modern times.”
Medina wants to hear from Albion and Holley village leaders, too.
