Moses Lake firm to tow local cars for city

The city of Grand Coulee has signed an impound agreement with Moses Lake Towing.

Mayor Paul Townsend said Tuesday that the city now has the ability to get rid of abandoned cars on city streets.

The agreement allows Moses Lake Towing to pick up reported abandoned vehicles and charge the registered owners any fees connected to the impound. The notification for impound service will come from the city’s code enforcement officer or the police department, Townsend said.

Under the agreement, Moses Lake Towing will be free to pursue collection of charges and costs under Washington State Patrol rules.

Townsend said that the city has been reluctant to pursue impounding cars until an agreement could be reached that frees the city from any ensuing costs.

The agreement also allows Moses Lake Towing to refuse an impound if there is no value to the vehicle, or if hazardous waste is associated with it.

According to the city code, vehicles can only be parked on the streets for a 24-hour period without being moved.

Townsend said that police can report infractions, but the code enforcer is more likely to identify violators because the code enforcer patrols the streets on a regular basis.

Registered owners will be responsible for any impound fees or charges.

“If you sell a car and you are the registered owner, you still are responsible for the impound fee,” Townsend warned. “Make sure that you complete all the paperwork on the sale of your vehicle, or you could be facing a charge if the vehicle is abandoned and impounded.”

Regular towing services are still available for non-impound needs.