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JAMESTOWN, NY (WNY News Now) – Jamestown Lawmakers have decided to table two ordinances involving the installation of cameras to improve school safety, following questions over the legality of the surveillance systems.
The two proposals would install speed zone cameras within school zones, and install traffic cameras to bus stop sign arms.
Both the Public Safety and Finance Committee’s tabled the ordinances at the Monday night work session. Due to questions about the legality and liability of installing these cameras.
For the school zone cameras, Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist suggested setting up a “demonstration” of the system, allowing the city to get a number on the amount of speed zone violators, to determine if the whole system is even worth setting up.
While state legislators are working on a statewide home rule allowing municipalities to act on the subject, others still need to be convinced.
“So it would not be to ticket anyone,” explained Mayor Sundquist. “It would be to see the number of cars that are actually speeding in school zones. It’s not something we need to do, but it’s something that legislators have asked us, in particular other legislators that have been looking at this home rule legislation. Which is, where is your data on cars speeding.”
For the bus stop arm cameras, local lawmakers and school officials are concerned over the liability of an outside company putting up cameras on the city’s buses.
Mayor Sundquist assured the city council that the company responsible, BusPatrol, is used in other municipalities, such as Warren Pennsylvania.
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