Politics & Government

City to Have New 3-Year Red-Light Camera Contract

The new three-year contract will also study traffic patterns and safety at the entrance of the Fox C-6 school campus.

Arnold City Council members voted 7-1 to negotiate a renewal contract with red-light camera operator American Traffic Solutions (ATS).

Ward 1 Councilman Doris Borgelt voted against the resolution, which the council discussed for about 45 minutes during a 90-minute meeting.

The current contract between the city and the Arizona-based company ends on May 30. 

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The three-year contract renewal has no fee increase and tasks ATS to begin collections for prior unpaid red-light camera tickets, City Attorney Bob Sweeney said to council members. 

ATS will work with a taxes-based collection agency to pursue each $94.50 ticket, Sweeney said.

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For each ticket collected by the agency, the city will receive about $38, said Sweeney, Police Chief Robert Shockey and Finance Director Deborah Lewis.

ATS will receive 30 percent of the tickets’ penalty fees. The collection agency will receive 30 percent of the remaining money as a fee for its work.

About $12 of each ticket goes toward city programs and training, Lewis said.

Few attorneys are interested in the low-money collection effort, Sweeney said.

“Attorneys work on an economies of scale, and they would have to pursue (each ticket) in court,” Sweeney said.

The renewal contract also tasks ATS to study traffic at Jeffco Boulevard and Tenbrook Road, the entrance to the Fox C-6 school campus, Sweeney said.

The study may determine if red-light cameras would improve students’ safety at the intersection, Sweeney said.

In a related motion, Ward Councilman Phil Amato asked for red-light camera signs to be posted next to the traffic signal.

People would notice the signs at the proposed locations, Amato said.

Currently the warning signs are along the roads and on the periphery of drivers’ vision.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) owns the traffic signals and posts at the four red-light camera intersections, City Administrator Matt Unrein said.

“We will need to approach them and ask them to place the signs near the lights,” Unrein said.

The city would have to pay for the new signs, Unrein said.  MoDOT paid for the warning signs along the roads, he said.

Amato, in another motion, also asked all the red-light camera money collected go toward safety programs.

“Tornado sirens, guardrails, sidewalks, whatever makes our city more safe,” Amato said. 

“I think it is disingenuous (insincere) for any city to use red-light camera revenue to balance its budget,” Amato said.

Sweeney said the council members should discuss Amato’s second proposal during a planning session.

“I agree with the spirit of the idea but we need a legal definition of the word ‘safety,’" Sweeney said.

The council planning session is June 9. City Council will meet on June 2 for its next regular meeting.


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