Bazetta trustees hear presentation on traffic cameras

BAZETTA

By all outward signs, the Bazetta Township trustees are not moving forward any time soon with having Blue Line Solutions of Tennessee provide the township with traffic cameras.

The trustees heard a presentation from Robb Schwartz, Blue Line regional sales consultant, Tuesday at township hall, who touted the reduced number of traffic crashes and improved road safety after communities begin using the cameras.

He explained signing up with Blue Line and operating its equipment does not cost the township anything, but the township collects 60 percent of the revenue from the tickets.

The cameras are manned by police officers, result in civil fines being mailed to speeders instead of criminal offenses, and the township decides how much to charge for various types of offenses and what amount over the speed limit will be considered an offense.

Trustee Ted Webb asked Schwartz whether he thinks state legislation will pass that attempts to remove state funding from communities that supplement their budgets with traffic camera fines. Schwartz said Blue Line’s lobbyists have assured the company “it will not pass the Senate.”

Trustee Frank Parke said he opposes traffic cameras on principle.

Read more about the matter in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.