Upper Darby Township council members press lawyer for parking tickets audit results
UPPER DARBY, Pa. (CBS) -- An interesting development came out of an Upper Darby Township meeting Wednesday night on parking violations issued that were never sent to local courts for processing.
Council members pressed the township lawyer for the results of the audit that was triggered by our reporting on it in February.
Township council members in Upper Darby say they're still waiting for the results of an audit of the township's parking enforcement office. It was ordered by the council more than three months ago.
It was February, one day after our investigations unit exclusively reported that more than 18,000 parking violations issued over a two-year period were never sent to local courts for processing.
Township council members previously reported they were out $1.5 million in lost revenue.
The township's mayor at the time said the processing problem was due to a technological glitch.
But council members called for an outside investigation. That investigation was supposed to take only 30 days.
Three months later there's still no sign of it.
Council member Meaghan Wagner sounded the alarm at a public meeting Wednesday night.
"We've been asking for this repeatedly of course I'm not going to get an answer again tonight, but I want to know why the parking audit has not been released," Wagner said.
An attorney for the township's administration responded explaining the hold-up was because some of the audits were sent to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office.
"There is a part to a supplement that was submitted to the district attorney's office," township solicitor Colleen Marsini said. "When that is returned, she will then be authorized to release the whole report."
Wagner met with CBS News Philadelphia outside the township building about the audit delay.
Holden: What do you think the holdup is?
Wagner: Frankly, I think they're hiding something.
That's why it's not released.
Wagner said the public has a right to see what's in that audit. She also expressed surprise that word of an investigation was made public.
"Last night, frankly, that was the first time it was actually confirmed," Wagner said.
Holden: That confirmation from the township attorney came at a public meeting that the district attorney has some interest in this matter?
Wagner: Yes, she said the supplemental report, has been turned over to the DA, being a former prosecutor that leads me to believe they're investigating.
Weeks ago, we first reported a federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Clifton Heights woman alleging her due process rights were violated when she couldn't fight her ticket in court.
We sent a list of questions to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office. A spokesperson said that they have no update at this time.
CBS News Philadelphia also reached out to the mayor's chief administrative officer asking for a copy of the audit. We haven't heard back.
