THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH COMMENTS FROM FIRST SELECTMAN BILL GERBER
FAIRFIELD – Speed cameras are that much closer to becoming reality as the Board of Finance debated the feasibility of automated traffic enforcement devices raising $875,000 in revenue for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Somewhere between the Feb. 24 Representative Town Meeting approval of a speed camera program ordinance for six schools and the March 25 Board of Finance budget meeting, the number of school zones that will have the ATEDs installed grew to 15.
That fact came up during a discussion between finance Commissioner James Walsh and Police Chief Robert Kalamaras during the March 13 budget hearing.
“How many tickets will you will be giving out in a year to make $875,000?” Walsh asked.
Chief Kalamaras responded, “We submitted this (proposal) expecting 13,500 violations.
“So, 13,500 tickets are going to be going against our taxpayers, our children, and our visitors?” Walsh asked emphatically. “And you show a 20% increase coming this year on top of that. To me, that’s becoming a police state.”
The chief responded, “We’re making this (projection) with the assumption they will be at other schools. We already have applications up at the state Office of Traffic Administration for a total of 15 schools or school zones. That includes public and private schools.”
The six school zones targeted for the first wave of cameras include Fairfield Ludowe and Warde high schools, Notre Dame High School, and Burr, Dwight, and Riverfield elementary schools.
First Selectman Bill Gerber emphasized the reason for instituting the speed cameras.
“In Connecticut, legislative bodies approve the use of speed cameras, not Boards of Finance. The RTM, our legislative body, did so on February 24. When Fairfield’s Board of Finance debates the merits of legislation that has already been passed by the RTM, I believe it not only creates confusion for residents on how decisions are made, but is also disrespectful to the legislative process. I believe some members of Fairfield’s Board of Finance habitually cross over into areas over which they have no purview, and this wastes time, creates confusion, … making it look far too political.”
Walsh continued to attack the speed camera plan at the March 13 hearing and later at the Board of Finance March 25 meeting.
“This is going to keep expanding and expanding,” he said. “Pretty soon, it’s going to be at stop signs. Every stop sign, every stop light is going to have something (a camera) on it.”
The speed camera issue has gotten the attention of some subscribers to NextDoor, the online neighborhood app.
“The Board of Finance met and it has established to start with 15 locations including in ‘school zones’ for beginning in September” (on Mill Plain Road, Stratfield Road, Jefferson Street, and so on), said Justin Beck, a Fairfield resident. “The police department estimates that 1 out of every 6 or 7 cars will be ticketed (15%) 24/7 for the first year based on total traffic amount per location.
“Each ticket will have to reviewed by the police department for final review before mailing to the license plate owner. That is nearly 14,000 tickets in one year. No one asked the cost of the employee of the police department which will be a very busy person.”
Beck went on to describe how the first selectman shot down Walsh’s “police state” comment because the discussion was moot as the plan has already been approved and it is not a budget- related comment or question.
Finance board Chair Lori Charlton stated at the March 25 meeting that the board needs more details before signing off on the expenses and revenue for the project.
In the end, the speed camera program could include up to around 25 cameras at 15 public and private school zones throughout Fairfield. Most of the expenses would be carried by the third-party vendor, who would be responsible for providing and installing the cameras. They would get a cut of the $15 service fee on each ticket.
The Town plans to install speed cameras in six public and private school zones initially, with nine more to follow for a total of fifteen. The expectation is that drivers’ behavior will change over time, making it safer to walk and bike to school. I wholeheartedly support the reduction to a 20 mph speed limit in our school zones, which translates into a 30 mph threshold for these cameras to issue tickets (there is a 10 mph cushion). “
The way the program will work is that any driver caught speeding 11 miles over the 25-mph school zone speed limit will be fined $50 plus the $15 service fee. If a person is a multiple offender, that fine will increase to $60 per offense. Since the cameras will be on 24/7, 365 days per year, the speed limit will be 25 mph during school hours and 20 mph during non-school hours and holidays.
While no points will appear on ticketed drivers license, they will be able to appeal the ticket as they would if pulled over by a police officer.
Gerber told the Fairfield County Business Journal the reason for the speed cameras is that the town has adopted a Vision Zero resolution to protect all school children when boarding and exiting school buses.
“The town receives complaints from residents on a variety of topics but speeding is always among the most prevalent concerns,” Gerber said. “Parents are especially concerned about speeding and reckless driving that makes it dangerous for their kids to walk or bike to school. Fairfield has lost several people to traffic deaths over the past several years and we feel we must take action.”
A representative of Gerber’s office at the March 13 and 25 finance board meetings told the board the Fairfield Traffic Authority has already approved installing cameras at nine more school zones. He hopes the first group of cameras will be up and running by early fall.
The budget line for the speed cameras are part of the town’s budget that will be voted on April 2.
