📋 Committee Meeting
Bellingham Hearing Examiner
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Meeting Summary
Bellingham Hearing Examiner Pro Tem Rajeev Majumdar conducted two vehicle impound appeal hearings on January 20, 2026, both involving circumstances where individuals faced significant financial hardship in recovering their towed vehicles. The hearings showcased the human impact of municipal impound policies when applied to residents experiencing economic distress and emergency situations.
The first case involved Rachel Thompson, whose 2010 Ford Edge was towed on Christmas Day 2025 while she was assisting an elderly woman experiencing a COPD attack. Thompson had already paid $601 to recover her vehicle but sought relief due to financial hardship, living on SSI benefits with monthly expenses exceeding her income. Her vehicle became stuck on a sidewalk after she made a wrong turn while rushing to get her friend to safety and medication.
The second case presented a more dire situation involving Sardam, whose vehicle was towed following flood damage during severe weather. His car had stalled in rising water on an exit ramp, and after moving it to safety, he was unable to retrieve it for several days due to road closures. When he returned to install dried engine components, the vehicle was gone. Having used the car for DoorDash income, Sardam now faces accumulated impound fees of $4,733.85 that exceed the vehicle's value, with no means to pay.
Both cases highlighted procedural and systemic challenges in the city's impound system, particularly around timing of hearings and the compounding nature of daily storage fees for individuals without financial resources.
Study Guide
## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE
**Meeting ID:** BEL-HEX-2026-01-20
### Meeting Overview
The Bellingham Hearing Examiner Pro Tem Rajeev Majumdar conducted two vehicle impound appeals on January 25th, 2026. Both cases involved vehicles towed by ASAP Towing, with appellants seeking relief from impound fees due to financial hardship and challenging circumstances.
### Key Terms and Concepts
**Hearing Examiner:** A neutral judicial officer who hears appeals and administrative cases for the City of Bellingham. In this case, Rajeev Majumdar served as the "Pro Tem" (temporary) hearing examiner.
**Vehicle Impound Appeal:** A legal process where someone can challenge the towing of their vehicle, seeking either a reversal of the impound decision or reduction of fees.
**High Centered:** When a vehicle gets stuck with its undercarriage resting on the ground, preventing the wheels from gaining traction. This occurred to Rachel Thompson's Ford Edge when she accidentally drove into a yard.
**Pedestrian Right-of-Way/Sidewalk:** Public walkways that must remain clear for pedestrians. Vehicles blocking sidewalks can be legally towed by police.
**Form of Pauperis:** A legal document allowing someone to proceed with court cases without paying fees due to financial hardship. Both appellants submitted these forms.
**Prima Facie Evidence:** Evidence that, on its face, establishes a fact unless contradicted. The hearing examiner noted that vehicle registration records serve as prima facie evidence of vehicle ownership.
**Business Records Exception:** A legal rule that allows certain documents to be admitted as evidence without requiring testimony from their creators, if they're kept in the regular course of business.
**Municipal Code vs. RCW:** The hearing examiner noted a conflict between Bellingham's local laws (Municipal Code) and state law (Revised Code of Washington) regarding where appeals from his decisions should go.
### Key People at This Meeting
| Name | Role / Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Rajeev Majumdar | Hearing Examiner Pro Tem for City of Bellingham |
| Rachel Thompson | Appellant in first case (2010 Ford Edge impound) |
| Officer Walker (Badge 334) | Bellingham Police Department officer who responded to Thompson incident |
| Aaron Samora | President of ASAP Towing |
| Mr. Sardam | Appellant in second case (vehicle flooded on exit ramp) |
### Background Context
Vehicle impound hearings represent a critical intersection of public safety and economic justice. When police determine a vehicle poses a public hazard or violates parking laws, they can have it towed to private impound lots. However, the costs can be devastating for low-income residents—as seen in these cases where fees reached $601 for one day and over $4,700 for 39 days of storage.
The appeals process allows people to challenge these impounds, either arguing the towing was improper or seeking fee relief due to hardship. Both appellants demonstrated financial distress: Thompson was on disability benefits, while Sardam lost his only income source (DoorDash driving) when his car was impounded.
The hearing examiner's role is to balance public safety requirements with individual circumstances, applying both state and local laws to determine whether the impounds were justified and what remedies might be appropriate.
### What Happened — The Short Version
Two people appealed vehicle impounds to the Hearing Examiner. Rachel Thompson's car got stuck helping an elderly friend during a medical emergency—she tried for hours to free it but couldn't, and it blocked a sidewalk. She paid $601 to get it back the next day but sought reimbursement due to financial hardship on disability benefits.
Mr. Sardam's car stalled in flooding on an exit ramp. He pushed it aside and spent days drying out engine parts, but when he returned to reinstall them, the car was gone. After 39 days in impound, fees totaled $4,733—more than the car's worth. He couldn't pay and lost his DoorDash income source.
The hearing examiner listened to testimony, noted legal complications about which documents could be admitted as evidence, and promised written decisions. He found conflicts between city and state law regarding where appeals of his decisions should go.
### What to Watch Next
• Written decisions will be issued for both cases, determining whether fees should be reduced or refunded
• Potential appeals to either Municipal Court or District Court (legal uncertainty about proper venue)
• Ongoing accumulation of daily storage fees ($101/day) for Sardam's vehicle until resolved
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