[HISTORY: Adopted by the County Board of McLean County as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
County Board — See Ch. 20.
Personnel policies and procedures — See Ch. 108.
[Adopted 4-19-1988 (Ch. 6A of the 1986 Code)]
A. 
All vehicles owned or leased by the County are the property of the County and shall be assigned to specific departments by the County Administrator. The County Administrator shall determine the assignment of all vehicles based on demonstrated need as justified by departments. All vehicle assignments should be considered temporary and subject to periodic review by the County Administrator.
B. 
County vehicles shall only be used to assist County employees in designated positions while in the performance of official County business. For purposes of this policy, official County business shall be defined as:
(1) 
All duties as described within the position job description.
(2) 
Special duties as may be assigned by the employee's supervisor.
(3) 
Attendance at assigned educational/instructional programs or County-related meetings.
C. 
All County-owned or -leased vehicles must be marked with the official County logo. Any exception must be justified in approved departmental policies.
D. 
The use of County-owned vehicles is prohibited for the following:
(1) 
Personal use of any nature when the employee is in an off-duty status. Exceptions:
(a) 
Where the vehicle is designated as emergency response vehicle, the employee is in an on-call status and written departmental policies have been developed and approved.
(b) 
Where the supervisor authorizes the vehicle be used for transportation to and from lunch.
(c) 
Where the employee is away from his residence overnight in the course of conducting official business.
(2) 
Attendance at political rallies, parties, or for political solicitation.
(3) 
Transportation of persons or goods not having a direct relationship to County business, except in an emergency situation and with the authorization of the employee's supervisor.
(4) 
At any time when the operator of the vehicle has consumed any alcoholic beverage or any substance which might interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle.
E. 
General guidelines for County vehicle operation include:
(1) 
All vehicles shall be operated in a safe manner and in adherence to all state, County and municipal laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the operation of a motor vehicle.
(2) 
Any employee operating a vehicle should take the most direct route to his destination.
(3) 
County vehicles shall not be parked in proximity to any establishment which might cause discredit upon the County unless such action is pursuant to the performance of County business.
(4) 
Fuel shall be procured at designated County fueling facilities except during emergencies or extended trips. When it becomes necessary to purchase fuel from other sources, receipts shall be presented for reimbursement purposes.
(5) 
All employees shall be responsible for any traffic or parking citations issued to them while using a County vehicle. Any such citation received shall be reported to the employee's supervisor within 48 hours.
(6) 
Employees shall lock any County vehicle when it will be parked unattended. The driver of the vehicle will be held responsible for any stolen or missing item if the vehicle is left unlocked while unattended.
(7) 
No employee shall be permitted to store a County vehicle at his/her residence or use it for personal business unless a provision is made in the Board-approved departmental policies. To obtain approval, a department must justify the need or circumstances under which a position would be required to store a vehicle at an employee's home or that such storage is in the best interest of the County.
(8) 
Under no circumstances shall a nonauthorized employee or a person who is not an employee of the County be allowed to operate a County vehicle. For purposes of this policy, the Sheriff's Reserve shall be considered to be authorized persons.
A. 
Because individual County departments have unique circumstances and uses for County vehicles, any department which has a County vehicle assigned to it shall develop departmental policies in addition to the general policies cited above. Such departmental policies shall incorporate the general policies and clearly identify any possible exception to the general policies. Departmental policies must be reviewed by the County Administrator, the Property Committee and approved by the County Board.
B. 
No County department, not currently assigned an automobile, shall be permitted to acquire a vehicle until it has secured Board approval of its departmental policies.
C. 
Additional minimum requirements for departmental policies.
(1) 
Utilization. There shall be a provision to assure that a County vehicle will be utilized fully. No department should authorize any employee to incur mileage claims when a County vehicle is not being utilized and is available.
(2) 
Maintenance. All vehicles shall be kept as clean as conditions permit. All preventive maintenance, including lubrication and oil change, shall be made at County facilities or County-designated facilities. Repairs beyond the capabilities of County staff shall be made at County-designated sites. Department heads shall ensure that the provisions of all warranty requirements are met.
(3) 
Recordkeeping. Accurate records shall be maintained by departments in the following areas:
(a) 
Specific names of employees assigned to response vehicles or vehicles being stored overnight at the employee's residence.
(b) 
Fuel usage and miles per gallon.
(c) 
Detailed records of all maintenance and repairs, including preventive maintenance logs.
(d) 
Detailed records of any accident or damage to any vehicle.
(4) 
Storage. The department shall specify the location at which vehicles will be stored at times when they are not in use by County personnel in the performance of official County business. Storage in other than a County-provided location may be justified for the following reasons:
(a) 
The vehicle is designated as an emergency response vehicle and is assigned to a County position whose job performance would be significantly obstructed to the public detriment without the immediate availability of a vehicle on a twenty-four-hour basis.
(b) 
The vehicle is to be assigned to a County position during a time of impending emergency. Such assignment shall be for limited duration only.
(c) 
With department head approval, a vehicle may be stored at an employee's residence when the employee's residence is a shorter distance from a temporary work site than the permanent storage and such storage shall result in a reduction in travel time to the benefit of the County.
(d) 
At such times as storage areas designated by the County are not available due to construction, facilities maintenance or other cause, the department head may request that departmental vehicles be stored at the employee's residence until such time as County-designated storage is available. Approval of any such temporary storage must be obtained from the County Administrator.
Any violation of this policy shall result in disciplinary action as specified in § 108-71 of the McLean County Code.
[Adopted 2-20-2018]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CONTRACT SERVICES
Services provided by a person or company who has a contract or purchase order with the County for repair, maintenance or replacement of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, elevator, water, sewer, electrical, data processing, telephone, alarm system, garbage removal and any other mechanical or electrical equipment that is part of the Law and Justice Center, the 200 West Front Street Building, the Government Center or the Courthouse, or is necessary for the operations of any County office or tenant space
IMPROPER PARKING
Any motor vehicle that is parked in a handicapped parking space, parked outside of the designated parking space striping, or on the grass, sidewalk or curbing.
OWNER
Any person having legal title or a right of property in a motor vehicle.
PARKING IN RESTRICTED AREA
Any motor vehicle that is parked, without authorization, in a cul-de-sac, County-owned, -operated, -maintained or -leased parking lot, loading dock, or sallyport.
PERSON
Includes a person, firm, corporation, partnership, society, association or other legal entity, and public or private institutions of the State of Illinois, a municipal corporation or a political subdivision of the state or any other business unit.
A. 
The McLean County Sheriff and the County Administrator shall jointly be responsible for the administration and enforcement of this article in accordance with the provisions of Illinois law and County Board ordinance.
B. 
There shall be no public motor vehicle parking allowed under the McLean County Jail, commonly referred to as the "sallyport," except as designated by the McLean County Sheriff. There shall be no public motor vehicle parking allowed in the area on the west side of the McLean County Law and Justice Center, commonly known as the "cul-de-sac."
C. 
Public motor vehicle parking shall be allowed in the two spaces, one of which shall be for handicapped parking only, which are located in the parking area on the west side of the Law and Justice Center near the public entrance to the Sheriff's Department offices and Coroner's office.
[Amended 9-12-2024]
D. 
There shall be no public motor vehicle parking allowed in the east County lot access off of East Street between the Law and Justice Center and the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Parking Deck Garage except as authorized by the McLean County Board.
E. 
There shall be no public motor vehicle parking allowed in the area commonly referred to as the "loading dock" located on the west side of the Law and Justice Center at and immediately south of the sidewalk elevator and north of the jail booking public entrance vestibule except as authorized for those contract services or common carrier delivery agencies or companies for the delivery of goods, supplies, services, or equipment to the Law and Justice Center.
F. 
There shall be no public motor vehicle parking allowed in the leased parking lot commonly referred to as the "East Street Parking Lot," a parking lot bounded by East, Front, and Washington Streets, which is leased to the County by the City of Bloomington for the use of various County tenants and employees in accordance with lease provisions with the County and authorization by the McLean County Board.
G. 
There shall be no public motor vehicle parking allowed in the County-owned parking lot containing 72 parking spaces located at the 200 West Front Street Building, except as authorized by the McLean County Board, by various lease agreements with building occupants, or by installed signs which designate allowed public motor vehicle parking.
H. 
At locations where public motor vehicle parking is prohibited, there shall be signs posted that:
[Amended 9-12-2024]
(1) 
Notify the public of the parking restriction and that unauthorized vehicles will be towed away at the owner's expense; and
(2) 
Provide the name and current telephone number of the towing service towing or removing the vehicle.
I. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection I, Stall assignment and fees, was repealed 9-12-2024.
J. 
Parking time limits, Monday through Friday, same lot parking.
(1) 
When signs are erected giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle for longer than the time specified on the sign(s) during the specified portion of the day on any day except Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays within the lots designated for public parking.
(2) 
It is a violation for the same vehicle to be parked again by any person in any space in the same lot described in this article during the same day, whether or not it remained in any space for part or all of the time specified on the signs.
K. 
Government Center East Street parking lot. No vehicle shall be allowed to park more than two hours per day in this lot. Vehicles exceeding the two-hour daily limit shall be fined in the amount provided under § 43-14 of this article for each additional two-hour period, or part thereof, the vehicle is parked in excess of the initial time or any subsequent two-hour period. No vehicle may be parked in this lot more than one time during the same day, regardless of whether the vehicle occupied the same or another space in any portion of the lot and regardless of whether the vehicle was parked for the full amount of time allowed by this article.
Any contractor, utility company, County department or other agency with individuals engaged in work for the County and desiring to occupy a parking space in excess of the time limits as specified in this article shall first obtain a parking permit
A. 
Misuse of parking permits, or willfully providing false information to the County to obtain parking permits shall be punished by a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $500.
B. 
Parking permits shall not be issued to full-time employees of the County.
C. 
Parking permits must be prominently displayed from the rearview mirror.
D. 
Parking permits will be issued by the County Administrator's Office, if it is determined that the provision of a parking permit is in the best interests of the County.
[Amended 9-12-2024]
The McLean County Sheriff and the County Administrator shall jointly be responsible for temporary closures of County parking facilities for safety, security or other cause in accordance with the provision of Illinois law and County Board ordinance. The County Administrator may authorize the utilization of parking facilities as defined by this article to be closed for purposes of public shows, amusements, theaters, circuses, sporting events, or any other public entertainment, amusement or activity.
A. 
Enforcement of motor vehicle parking in a county-owned, -operated, -maintained or -leased parking facility shall be the responsibility of the McLean County Sheriff and the McLean County Administrator or their designated agents.
B. 
For the purposes of this article, motor vehicle parking violations shall be as follows: parking in the restricted area and/or improper parking.
C. 
There shall be no parking allowed in any other area of the grounds of the Law and Justice Center or the 200 West Front Street Building.
D. 
The County of McLean shall not be liable for any death, personal injury, and/or property damage resulting from the use of County-owned or -leased parking facilities.
E. 
Any owner or operator of a motor vehicle who allows or causes his motor vehicle to be parked in any manner other than as authorized by this article is in violation of this article and shall be subject to a fine of not less than $25 or pursuant to 625 ILCS 5/11-1301.3, Motor Vehicle Code, if the motor vehicle is improperly parked in a designated parking stall for individuals with disabilities.
F. 
The McLean County Sheriff or his agent shall be authorized, upon notification or discovery of a defined violation by a motor vehicle, to place a "parking facility violation" ticket on a conspicuous place on said motor vehicle.
G. 
Said ticket shall clearly indicate the violation involved as well as the amount of fine accrued.
H. 
Said ticket shall be paid by the owner or operator of the motor vehicle in violation of this article within 48 hours from the time the ticket was placed upon the violating motor vehicle.
I. 
Said ticket shall be paid by the vehicle owner or operator either by United States mail or in person at the office of the County Clerk of 'McLean County, County of McLean, 104 West Front Street, Room 704, Bloomington, Illinois, 61702-2400, during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
J. 
If said violation is not paid within 48 hours from the time the ticket was placed on the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle owner or operator may be subject to prosecution by the State's Attorney of McLean County.
K. 
In addition to issuing a ticket, the McLean County Sheriff or his agent is authorized and may order any motor vehicle not parked in accordance with this article to be towed and stored at the expense of the owner or operator of said violating motor vehicle.
The sections, subsections, paragraphs and provisions of this article shall be deemed separable, and the invalidity of any portion of this article shall not affect the validity of the remainder.