http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20120423/NEWS01/120423016/Camera-critics-argue-against-Redflex-during-council-meeting?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

Camera critics to argue against Redflex during council meeting
7:05 PM, Apr. 23, 2012  |  
 
 
Written by
Nicholas Persac

The fate of Lafayette’s controversial traffic cameras will be decided in less than a month, and critics of the traffic enforcement measure will make the case to scrap the program during tonight’s City-Parish Council meeting.

Council Vice Chairman William Theriot, District 9, invited two New Orleans area residents who have vocally opposed traffic cameras across the state to lay out the reasons to overturn Lafayette’s SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs.

The presentation from Bill Triay and Richard Brown will be the counterpoint to a pro-camera presentation during the Council’s March 27 meeting.

At the request of City-Parish President Joey Durel’s administration, Lafayette Police Department Sgt. Richard Rees told the council during that meeting of the reasons to extend Lafayette Consolidated Government’s contract with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc.

While traffic camera supporters have argued the programs change driver behaviors and improve safety, critics believe the program is unconstitutional and is instead about money rather than safety.

This past week, The Daily Advertiser reported that two members of the Lafayette Police Department, including Rees, are romantically involved with Redflex employees.

Those relationships drew steep criticisms from the camera’s most vocal opponents, who also point to the fact that Redflex revenues fund the salaries of some LPD officers, including those in the traffic division where Rees works.

According to LCG’s CFO Lorrie Toups, revenue collected from Redflex funds the salaries of two LPD sergeants, six corporals and four officers in the traffic division who all earn between $19 and $30 per hour.

During the March 27 council meeting and again at the state legislature earlier this month, Rees did not publically disclose that his girlfriend works for Redflex or that the council tied his LPD salary to money collected from traffic camera fines.

After a lengthy presentation from Rees and more than five hours of waiting, Triay and Brown briefly spoke during the March 27 meeting. The two men, however, had only five minutes to talk and did not get to finish the presentations they intended to give.

During that meeting, Brown said a better solution to the problem of drivers running red lights is to increase the duration of yellow traffic lights.

Triay, who is a member of both the Safe Community Coalition-New Orleans and helps lead the small group Transportation Research Institute Inc., told the council during the March 27 meeting how companies like Redflex hire “politically connected individuals” and accused officials of manipulating the pro-camera statistics.

In a controversial move this past summer, the council approved a budget amendment to use Redflex revenues for recurring expenses, including employee salaries and benefits. Previously, the funds were used only for one-time expenses, like roadway improvements.

In the current year’s budget, the traffic camera revenues not only fund the LPD positions’ salaries and benefits but also pay for LPD training, uniforms, transportation and equipment maintenance, according to LCG’s budget.
 

This past Tuesday, the City-Parish Council unanimously approved a resolution directing Durel to begin renegotiating the contract with Redflex, hinting that the program will remain intact.

The council is, however, still scheduled to consider next month an ordinance that would remove the cameras from Lafayette and end the SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs.

Under that ordinance, which is sponsored by Theriot and two of his peers, the camera program would be terminated when the current contract expires on June 4. The council is scheduled to consider that ordinance for introductory approval on May 1 and then again for final adoption on May 15.

Dee Stanley, LCG’s chief administrative officer, said contract renegotiations with Redflex are already underway. Though he could not say what the new agreement may entail, he said he expects the administration to send the council the reworked contract for preliminary approval on May 1.

If the council introduces that contract, it will consider the agreement’s final adoption on May 15 during the same meeting it will vote on the ordinance to scrap the cameras.

During that meeting, Brown said a better solution to the problem of drivers running red lights is to increase the duration of yellow traffic lights.

Triay, who is a member of both the Safe Community Coalition-New Orleans and helps lead the small group Transportation Research Institute Inc., told the council during the March 27 meeting how companies like Redflex hire “politically connected individuals” and accused officials of manipulating the pro-camera statistics.

In a controversial move this past summer, the council approved a budget amendment to use Redflex revenues for recurring expenses, including employee salaries and benefits. Previously, the funds were used only for one-time expenses, like roadway improvements.

In the current year’s budget, the traffic camera revenues not only fund the LPD positions’ salaries and benefits but also pay for LPD training, uniforms, transportation and equipment maintenance, according to LCG’s budget.
This past Tuesday, the City-Parish Council unanimously approved a resolution directing Durel to begin renegotiating the contract with Redflex, hinting that the program will remain intact.

The council is, however, still scheduled to consider next month an ordinance that would remove the cameras from Lafayette and end the SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs.

Under that ordinance, which is sponsored by Theriot and two of his peers, the camera program would be terminated when the current contract expires on June 4. The council is scheduled to consider that ordinance for introductory approval on May 1 and then again for final adoption on May 15.

Dee Stanley, LCG’s chief administrative officer, said contract renegotiations with Redflex are already underway. Though he could not say what the new agreement may entail, he said he expects the administration to send the council the reworked contract for preliminary approval on May 1.

If the council introduces that contract, it will consider the agreement’s final adoption on May 15 during the same meeting it will vote on the ordinance to scrap the cameras.
 

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