Officials reject red-light cameras

McMinnville aldermen didn’t speak in favor of installing red-light cameras around the city during a Tuesday night meeting.

‘This isn’t about big brother. This is about money,’ said Alderman Bobby Kirby. ‘This is about profit and it’s not about safety.’

The statement brought a swift reaction from Mayor Royce Davenport who said, ‘It’s not about money. It’s about safety, Bobby. Please don’t say that again.’

Davenport brought up the camera idea about a year ago. His contention is McMinnville has a problem with intersection accidents and he views the cameras as a way of easing that problem.

‘This is about a problem that we have and how we handle it is up to this board,’ said Davenport. ‘If you have any doubts that we have this problem, please give me an hour of your time. I’ll take you to any one of half a dozen intersections and in one hour we will see people running traffic lights.’

‘If it’s about safety, then why isn’t it coming through the Safety Committee instead of the Finance Committee’? asked Kirby. ‘It’s about money. That’s my opinion.’

Other members of the Finance Committee voiced their hesitancy about the cameras.

‘Public perception is this is one more time that someone is up there watching me and the city wants my money,’ said Alderman Patti Nunley. ‘That’s the feedback I’m getting.’

Redflex, the company that wants to install the red-light cameras, offered to put up trial cameras at no charge so city officials could see for themselves if there is a problem. The trial cameras wouldn’t issue tickets, just compile information.

Vice Mayor Donald Hillis voiced his concerns regarding such a study. If the cameras show there is a problem, and the city does not install the cameras, he sees it as a potential liability issue.

‘If we decide to do the study and they come back and say they want one on New Smithville and the bypass and we don’t do it, in my opinion I think there is some liability,’ said Hillis regarding future accidents at intersections found to have a high number of red-light runners.

When it came time to vote for the survey that would prove if McMinnville has a problem, Finance Committee members refused to vote. The refusal to vote resulted in the cameras dying before they had a chance to begin watching.

The traffic camera measure could be brought up again.