The Crittenden Automotive Library

Reserved parking - must be nice

Reserved parking - must be nice

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
September 15, 2009

McHenry County Government Center Parking

A large portion of the back parking lot, behind the McHenry County Government Center, is marked off as Reserved Parking. According to an employee of the County administration office, the Sheriff's Department controls the parking there.

And according to an employee of the Sheriff's Department, that parking is for employees. That's why you see squad cars, other County vehicles, and vehicles of employees, such as judges, probation officers and others, parked there.

Thanks to a tipster late last week, an unidentified vehicle believed to belong to a non-employee is parked regularly in the Reserved parking. (Click on the image to enlarge it; then click on the "Back" button on your browser to come back here.) As the story goes, some attorneys have complained, unsuccessfully, to Sheriff Nygren about this violation of the Reserved Parking restrictions.

How do you know it's Reserved Parking? One clue is the sign. This sign is located right by the right front fender of this vehicle. Maybe the driver was in a hurry and just didn't notice it?

Who enforces violations of parking rules? Are tickets issued? Are vehicles towed? Who would you have to know in the courthouse to able to park in the Reserved Parking area and be sure your car would be there when you come back out?

I guess I won't push the system and park my "basic undercover car" there, even though it's red, too (and smaller).