TRAFFIC City may install video cameras downtown

Speeding in downtown area of the city is a safety concern, 2 councilmen say.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- Traffic patrol in the downtown area may soon be augmented by video cameras.
Councilman Frank Migliozzi, chairman of council's health and safety committee, stated during Monday's council meeting that he believes council should consider installing video cameras near a few traffic lights in the downtown area.
"Speeding on the section of 422 in our downtown area has become a concern," Migliozzi said. "We just don't have enough police officers to do traffic enforcement, so I think we should consider the automatic control video devices."
Migliozzi said a representative of Traffipax, a company that leases the equipment, will attend a council caucus at 6 p.m. April 11 to further discuss the issue.
Cost
Councilman Larry Williams, a member of the health and safety committee, said if council decides to use the video equipment the city would not have to pay for the equipment.
"The equipment costs about $50,000, but the way the program works we would [instead] pay the company a percentage of the fines we receive," Williams said. "We would have to work all that out, but we are not concerned about making more money -- we are concerned about safety. That area needs to be safer."
The video camera records vehicles at and near traffic lights. By looking at the video, officials would be able to determine if a person goes through the light or is traveling at a high rate of the speed. The vehicle's license plate is recorded, and if any violations are observed, the person to whom the vehicle is registered would receive a citation in the mail, officials said.
Council members said if the city decides to use the video equipment they would put a sign outside the city limits alerting motorists that they could be videotaped.
Other business
In other matters, Jerry Lambert, the city's safety-service director, said he will meet with Mayor James Melfi next week to discuss a proposal by Liberty Township officials to use it's 911 services for an annual cost of $95,000.
Melfi is out of town but will return Monday, Lambert said.
"There are some things in this proposal that we need to discuss," Lambert said. "I'm not sure about the $95,000 figures and some of the fees they want to charge us. We need to go through the proposal."
Pat Ungaro, Liberty Township administrator, sent the proposal Friday to the mayor.
Girard spends about $188,000 annually to maintain its 911 service with three full-time personnel. They also are paying a police captain to fill in or cover shifts when the dispatcher is unavailable. Last year, the city received 2,515 calls to 911.