Parking citations mount in Colorado town

The city of Littleton, Colorado, has more than 1,500 outstanding parking citations that totaled approximately $50,800 in last year, the Littleton Independent reports. In order to obtain the missing payments, the city has contracted debt collection agency Integral Recoveries to contact the defendants and retrieve compensation. Debtors will have up to 20 days to pay off parking citations and 30 days to pay off traffic fines. Should they continue to evade payment, an additional fine will be issued along with the possibility of six months in prison. According to city documents, Integral Recoveries will "alleviate clerical time and aid in the timely closure of municipal court cases," the news source reports. However, the company has not yet formally signed a contract with the city. "The contract is not yet ready for signing … but we have selected Integral Recoveries for the contract for the collection of unpaid fines, costs and restitution," said Pat Spindler, Littleton court administrator, quoted by the news source. Elsewhere in Colorado, Aspen's solar-powered parking meters are accepting payments beyond designated times, the Aspen Daily News reports. An upgrade to the electronic programming system is necessary to alter the meter rate.