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As she has all year, before groups large and small in the halls of Congress and before state senators in Indianapolis, Ann Sweet of Warsaw promoted red-light camera legislation at a Focus on Safety meeting Wednesday at Warsaw's city hall.
Wednesday she was preaching to the choir as local camera supporters gathered in city hall.
The audience included Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins, Warsaw Police Chief Steve Foster and Capt. Paul Schmitt, Lynn Coleman from the South Bend mayor's office and Ben Shaffer from the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Just returning from Washington, D.C., Sweet reported on U.S. Congressional hearings at the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee - Highways and Transit Subcommittee.
While she did not have the opportunity to speak before Congress, Sweet did submit testimony and a portion it was read by another speaker.
Sweet's campaign to have red-light cameras installed on major highways in Indiana, specifically along U.S. 30, began when her daughter, Shawnee Ulrey, was killed by a red light-running vehicle on Oct. 27, 1997. The young woman, age 21, was engaged to be married. Her fianc, following her in his own car, witnessed the fatal accident.
Sweet's campaign caught the attention of State Sen. Kent Adams, also of Warsaw, who drafted legislation allowing installation of the cameras. The bill passed through the Senate during the last Indiana General Assembly and failed to be heard in a House committee.
Adams addressed the Focus on Safety group, too, returning to public life following extensive back surgery in May.
He said he plans to reintroduce the red-light camera bill next year.
"I'm being rebuilt," the senator said, "and back on my feet."
Adams missed much of the last session because of back pain. He expects to usher the bill through both houses in 2002.
Foster said he, Craig Allebach and Gus Sideris visited Toledo, Ohio, recently, a city that has 18 red-light camera installations.
He explained that the cameras take a still shot of the car when a vehicle enters an intersection under red-light conditions.
In Toledo a police officer reviews each photograph and issues a moving traffic violation.
In one three-month period more than 8,000 violations were issued in Toledo, Sideris said.
Foster said there are plans to install monitors at certain U.S. 30 intersections to count the number of red-light violators.
Although no specific dates have been set for the data to be collected, Foster said, he is working with a company in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation.
In other business the organization:
• Was introduced to Erika Wilson, a student at Warsaw Community High School, who will talk to her peers about running red lights.
• Heard National Red Light Running Week is Sept. 1-7.
