Red Light Camera Co. Makes Pitch To Council
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Joe Moore of Red-Flex gave a presentation highlighting the advantages of red light camera imaging before the Warsaw City Council Monday. The cameras capture a picture of a vehicle passing through an intersection when the light is red.
Moore was introduced by Sgt. Kip Shuter of the Warsaw Police Department. Shuter also serves as the city's traffic commissioner. Shuter said SB570 has been approved by the state Senate and is sponsored by Dave Wolkins (R-Winona Lake) and Bob Kuzman (D-Crown Point) in the House.
The bill calls for 10 cities to establish pilot programs with cameras installed at "dangerous" intersections.
Moore said in Ohio cities where cameras have been installed, violations have fallen by 26 percent in Toledo and by 40 percent in Dayton.
In another matter, the board tabled a request by Shuter to increase parking fines from $10 for the first violations and subsequent violations to $20. Currently the fees are $5 for the first violation and $10 for subsequent violations.
Parking downtown allows for two free hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., on several streets and in the city lot, between Buffalo and Indiana streets, north of Jefferson Street.
Shuter said the traffic commission also recommends the monthly parking space rentals be increased from $12 to $15.
"We'd like to get people into a lot, rather than get three tickets a month," Shuter said. "There are a lot of people who just move their cars every two hours."
Following up on a request for $100,000 from the council council last month, Roger Moynahan of Kosciusko Development Inc. requested $25,000 from the council, as a pledge of support.
The county council asked KDI to petition the other government units for financial support, too.
"We've been appreciative of your support," Moynahan said of the city's $1,500 annual contribution. "We help generate new business countywide. The state has lost a lot of manufacturing jobs. In Kosciusko County we've been successful in keeping and replacing jobs."
According to 2002 figures there are 43,751 people employed in Kosciusko County with an average yearly income of $36,000. The county population is 74,000 and $68,000 is spent on economic development. Counties with like populations (LaPorte, 77,000; Bartholomew, 71,000 and Wayne, 71,000) from $180,000 to $700,000 on economic development each year, according to figures presented last night.
"We're one of 10 professional economic development organizations throughout the state," said KDI president Joy McCarthy Sessing' and we've never had an adequate budget."
Moynahan said "We need diversification, we need to look at the future."
Most of the income would go to the staff's salaries and benefits. McCarthy-Sessing said currently she works part-time along with another part-time person. If an inquiry is made about any property a packet is sent to that company's representative, but it is hard, time-wise, to do much more.
"In Wayne County there were five or six full-time people in the economic development office," she said.
"I know $25,000 sounds like a huge increase and it is. But go back to the tax base," Moynahan said.
An example of the tax benefits shows that a company with 150 employees making an average of $40,000 each year; has a $6 million payroll, which generates $60,000 in COIT and EDIT tax revenue for the county.
Councilman Bill Rhoades said he was in favor granting KDI's request, that "I think we've misspent $25,000 several times and this would be a good use of the money."
The board also"
• Heard a report from councilman Joe Thallemer regarding a recent Indiana Association of Cities and Towns legislative meeting.
• Approved Ordinance 2005-03-01 defining capital assets as any item worth $5,000 at the wastewater treatment utility.
• Approved Resolution 2005-03-01, a lease-purchase agreement with Public-Finance.com Inc. for a John Deere 110 tractor-loader-backhoe as requested by the cemetery department.
City councilmen are Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, Bob Morrison and Joe Thallemer. [[In-content Ad]]
Joe Moore of Red-Flex gave a presentation highlighting the advantages of red light camera imaging before the Warsaw City Council Monday. The cameras capture a picture of a vehicle passing through an intersection when the light is red.
Moore was introduced by Sgt. Kip Shuter of the Warsaw Police Department. Shuter also serves as the city's traffic commissioner. Shuter said SB570 has been approved by the state Senate and is sponsored by Dave Wolkins (R-Winona Lake) and Bob Kuzman (D-Crown Point) in the House.
The bill calls for 10 cities to establish pilot programs with cameras installed at "dangerous" intersections.
Moore said in Ohio cities where cameras have been installed, violations have fallen by 26 percent in Toledo and by 40 percent in Dayton.
In another matter, the board tabled a request by Shuter to increase parking fines from $10 for the first violations and subsequent violations to $20. Currently the fees are $5 for the first violation and $10 for subsequent violations.
Parking downtown allows for two free hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., on several streets and in the city lot, between Buffalo and Indiana streets, north of Jefferson Street.
Shuter said the traffic commission also recommends the monthly parking space rentals be increased from $12 to $15.
"We'd like to get people into a lot, rather than get three tickets a month," Shuter said. "There are a lot of people who just move their cars every two hours."
Following up on a request for $100,000 from the council council last month, Roger Moynahan of Kosciusko Development Inc. requested $25,000 from the council, as a pledge of support.
The county council asked KDI to petition the other government units for financial support, too.
"We've been appreciative of your support," Moynahan said of the city's $1,500 annual contribution. "We help generate new business countywide. The state has lost a lot of manufacturing jobs. In Kosciusko County we've been successful in keeping and replacing jobs."
According to 2002 figures there are 43,751 people employed in Kosciusko County with an average yearly income of $36,000. The county population is 74,000 and $68,000 is spent on economic development. Counties with like populations (LaPorte, 77,000; Bartholomew, 71,000 and Wayne, 71,000) from $180,000 to $700,000 on economic development each year, according to figures presented last night.
"We're one of 10 professional economic development organizations throughout the state," said KDI president Joy McCarthy Sessing' and we've never had an adequate budget."
Moynahan said "We need diversification, we need to look at the future."
Most of the income would go to the staff's salaries and benefits. McCarthy-Sessing said currently she works part-time along with another part-time person. If an inquiry is made about any property a packet is sent to that company's representative, but it is hard, time-wise, to do much more.
"In Wayne County there were five or six full-time people in the economic development office," she said.
"I know $25,000 sounds like a huge increase and it is. But go back to the tax base," Moynahan said.
An example of the tax benefits shows that a company with 150 employees making an average of $40,000 each year; has a $6 million payroll, which generates $60,000 in COIT and EDIT tax revenue for the county.
Councilman Bill Rhoades said he was in favor granting KDI's request, that "I think we've misspent $25,000 several times and this would be a good use of the money."
The board also"
• Heard a report from councilman Joe Thallemer regarding a recent Indiana Association of Cities and Towns legislative meeting.
• Approved Ordinance 2005-03-01 defining capital assets as any item worth $5,000 at the wastewater treatment utility.
• Approved Resolution 2005-03-01, a lease-purchase agreement with Public-Finance.com Inc. for a John Deere 110 tractor-loader-backhoe as requested by the cemetery department.
City councilmen are Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, Bob Morrison and Joe Thallemer. [[In-content Ad]]