By David Skolnick

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The first appeals hearing for those cited by police for civil speeding violations is expected to be Nov. 18.

Though 119 people filed appeals – including 55 this week – Gene Fehr, hired by the city to hear these matters, probably will start with about 20 to 25 cases, said police Lt. William Ross, head of the city’s police department traffic unit, which operates the speed-gun program.

The hearings will take place weekly until Fehr catches up with the appeals and then go to once or twice a month, Ross said. Fehr is to be paid $95 an hour by the city.

Nov. 18 is the expected date for the first hearing, Ross said.

Optotraffic also will contact by mail those who object to the citations to give them a hearing date, Ross said.

The Maryland company provided the speed guns and processes and mails citations for the city for 35 percent of the fees collected.

As of Friday, the police department had cited 3,754 motorists using radar guns with cameras for speeding. Enforcement started Aug. 18.

Of those, only 64 had objected to the citations until this week when an additional 55 sent in appeals, Ross said.

Not much speed enforcement was done between Oct. 31 and Friday with three shifts resulting in 157 citations. There were three shifts because officers were busy with other training, Ross said.

“I would look for it to increase next week as we’re done with our training,” Ross said. “Also, two extra officers [in addition to the existing four] are going to go out next week.”

But Ross recently said that because officers either stand outside or sit in police cars with the window down to use the speed guns, enforcement will decrease when the weather is bad.

As of Friday, 1,434 people, including only three in the past week, paid the speeding fees.

Using $125 for an average citation, $179,250 has been paid in fees with the city getting $116,512.50, its 65 percent cut, and Optotraffic keeping $62,737.50.

Officers point the speed guns at vehicles and issue civil-fee citations instead of stopping speeders and giving moving-violation tickets with a fine and points on drivers licenses.

Speeders face penalties of $100 for driving up to 13 mph over the speed limit, $125 for 14 to 19 mph over the limit, and $150 for at least 20 mph over the limit. Police records provided to The Vindicator show officers issue citations for vehicles going at least 12 mph over the limit on highways and at least 10 mph over the limit in school zones.

The location of most of the tickets is on Interstate 680 between South Avenue and Meridian Road, a high accident location with a speed limit of 50 mph.