Girard collects $34,779 in fines

Officials say the money will go toward worthy causes.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
GIRARD -- Safety Services Director Jerry Lambert said Girard has collected $34,779 in fines for traffic camera violations since the city started issuing tickets Aug. 8.
Tickets for those caught speeding by the traffic camera are going out in the mail and fine payments are coming in, and now officials are deciding ways to use the money.
Lambert said there have been 560 paid tickets.
The money, he said, is being deposited into the general fund as a line item. He said none of the money has yet been used for any particular purpose, but officials have a good idea where the funds will be headed.
Mayor James Melfi said the city used $14,000 from a health department fund to pay a consulting firm to review an application for a proposed landfill here. That fund, he said, has no more money.
The city, according to Melfi, also used an additional $14,000 from the general fund to pay for environmental consulting, engineering and legal fees associated with the landfill application. That $14,000, he said, will be replaced in the general fund using camera fine money.
Melfi said future costs associated with the proposed landfill will also be paid with camera fine money.
Officer at school
Problems at the high school earlier this year prompted officials to place a school resource officer in the school. Melfi said an officer in the school for the school year costs about $60,000. The city, he said, will split the cost with the school district with the city's share coming from camera fine money.
"We are able to pay these costs through camera revenue and not increase the general fund deficit," Melfi said. "It is good to have this money available to use for these good causes."
Safety first
Some in the community have maintained that the use of the camera is simply a money-making tool. Both Melfi and Lambert agree that the additional revenue will be beneficial, but still say the main concern is safety.
"I don't believe we should have to apologize for fines incurred by people who are exceeding the speed limit by a large margin," Melfi said. "Whatever revenue is there will be used for a good cause. I am personally shocked at the dollar amount. I never believed the revenue would be that high."
The 560 tickets and $34,779 in fines do not include tickets issued to those who have not yet paid. Lambert did not have an exact figure of unpaid tickets, but many have outright refused to pay the fines.
"We have just reached the point where those who have not paid or refused to pay are being turned over to collections. That is starting immediately," Lambert said.
The regular fine is $85, but the fine amount does increase for those who do not pay the tickets. Lambert said the fine increases by $20 every 21 days that the fine is not paid. The maximum increase is $60.
jgoodwin@vindy.com