The Des Moines City Council approved a new towing contract with Crow Tow amid debate over customer service and regulatory concerns. Crow Tow will continue to be the official towing service for the city, but some council members expressed a desire for improved customer service from the company.Mayor Connie Boesen acknowledged the general dislike for being towed during the discussion of a new $300,000 towing contract with Crow Tow.»Nobody likes to be towed, we know that,» Boesen said.While businesses appreciate a towing company that can remove illegally parked cars, car owners who are towed are less enthusiastic. Despite an objection from a competing company, the council voted to approve Crow Tow. City leaders noted the difficulty in finding a towing company with the capacity to handle the city’s needs, which include towing 3,500 cars annually.»There are not a lot of towing companies that could accommodate the city of Des Moines needs through this contract,» said Scott Sanders, Des Moines city manager.Councilman Josh Mandelbaum surprised the council with a last-minute request to address towing company regulations. He proposed a special council workshop to address complaints from car owners, including high credit card fees, limited access to personal property in towed cars, and short deadlines for abandoned vehicles.»The public has wanted us to address towing practices in our community for a long time, and it’s time that we do so,» Mandelbaum said.However, other council members were not pleased with the unexpected proposal and voted against it.»I will never vote on something that I just looked at just now,» said Councilman Joe Gatto.Ultimately, the council voted 5 to 2 to approve the contract and agreed to meet in a future workshop to address towing complaints, although this would not affect the new contract. The new Crow Tow contract officially takes effect on March 1 and will last through 2029.
The Des Moines City Council approved a new towing contract with Crow Tow amid debate over customer service and regulatory concerns. Crow Tow will continue to be the official towing service for the city, but some council members expressed a desire for improved customer service from the company.
Mayor Connie Boesen acknowledged the general dislike for being towed during the discussion of a new $300,000 towing contract with Crow Tow.
«Nobody likes to be towed, we know that,» Boesen said.
While businesses appreciate a towing company that can remove illegally parked cars, car owners who are towed are less enthusiastic. Despite an objection from a competing company, the council voted to approve Crow Tow. City leaders noted the difficulty in finding a towing company with the capacity to handle the city’s needs, which include towing 3,500 cars annually.
«There are not a lot of towing companies that could accommodate the city of Des Moines needs through this contract,» said Scott Sanders, Des Moines city manager.
Councilman Josh Mandelbaum surprised the council with a last-minute request to address towing company regulations. He proposed a special council workshop to address complaints from car owners, including high credit card fees, limited access to personal property in towed cars, and short deadlines for abandoned vehicles.
«The public has wanted us to address towing practices in our community for a long time, and it’s time that we do so,» Mandelbaum said.
However, other council members were not pleased with the unexpected proposal and voted against it.
«I will never vote on something that I just looked at just now,» said Councilman Joe Gatto.
Ultimately, the council voted 5 to 2 to approve the contract and agreed to meet in a future workshop to address towing complaints, although this would not affect the new contract. The new Crow Tow contract officially takes effect on March 1 and will last through 2029.
