http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/montgomery-rejects-red-light-cameras/article_fd8e829f-f7b5-5096-ad24-e2395389ca78.html

Montgomery rejects red light cameras

 Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2012 12:00 am

By Brad Meyer |

Following months of review and consideration of a red light camera system, the Montgomery City Council rejected the program by a 4-1 vote Tuesday night.

Councilman John Champagne voted for the motion, but Councilmen Jon Bickford, Kirk Jones, Joe Shockley and Joel Gordon opposed use of the red light camera equipment.

“There have been a lot of comments from the public,” City Administrator Bill Kotlan said. “Most of it was critical and opposed the idea of red light cameras.”

City officials started discussions with Redflex Traffic Systems more than six months ago, but changes in city personnel slowed the process. Mayor John Fox said he wants Police Chief Royce Goodson to have an opportunity to review the situation before making a decision.

The long-term agreement proposed by Redflex would have obligated the city to a 10-year contract with an initial cost to the city of $2,995 per month for each intersection covered plus an additional fee of $12 per citation issued.

Motorists caught by the cameras would be subject to a $75 fine. Kotlan said city officials had no revenue projection for what the program might generate and had not incorporated revenue or expenses for the program into the current budget.

In other business, Kotlan reviewed the city budget for council members. Total year-to-date income is approximately $385,000 compared to a budget of $344,000. Expenses are around $483,000 against a budget of $422,000.

Council members also rejected a variance request from Lone Star Cowboy Church that would have allowed the church to retain an unapproved metal wall covering installed on the north end of the rodeo arena facing Texas 105.

Church officials requested a variance from Montgomery Planning and Zoning but had been turned down earlier. The council voted unanimously to reject the variance request as well.

“We’ll give them a reasonable amount of time to remove the material,” Kotlan said. “We don’t want to be unreasonable, but City Council has made a clear decision.”

For more information about the city of Montgomery, visit www.historicmontgomerytexas.com.

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