Speed Camera Funds Put To Use

SALISBURY – Revenue from speeders is being used to enhance property dedicated to the Salisbury Police Department (SPD) as well as purchasing new equipment for seven new patrol vehicles.

The SPD wants to appropriate funds received from the speed camera program for construction of a fence at the city’s police range.

Internal Services Director Keith Cordrey explained to date all the speed camera funds have gone into the general fund. The funds have to be spent towards public safety.

City Administrator John Pick added in FY12, which was the first year of the program, there were no funds budgeted from the speed camera program. The funds were received throughout the course of the year and were simply put into the general fund. When the FY13 budget was adopted, speed camera funds were estimated and included to bring in $184,000.

“We know how much was received and we have been tracking how much we have been spending through these budget amendments,” Pick said.

The ordinance on the table explained the police range is owned by the City of Salisbury and utilized by the police department for firearms training and qualifications currently have unrestricted access. Any unauthorized person can be on the property during live weapons firing with the potential for injury, creating serious liability issues.

The construction of this fence and posting of the property will restrict people from gaining access, thereby protecting the public and the city from lawsuits. The fencing will also define the boundaries of the city’s property and protect the buildings and equipment from theft or damage.

The SPD has insufficient funds in the Buildings & Maintenance Account to pay the vendor, Anderson Fence Company, Inc., in the amount of $32,480. There are speed camera funds in excess of this amount, collected in FY12, that has not been appropriated and remain available for appropriation for the purpose of public safety.

“The fence is a liability issue that has been going on for some time and we appreciate the administration for bringing forward the amendment to use these funds to eliminate that liability for the city and provide extra protection for our police department and our citizens,” Council President Terry Cohen said.

The City Council voted unanimously to approve the budget amendment to transfer funds put in surplus from the speed camera program to the police departments Building & Maintenance Account to construct a fence at the range.

The next ordinance on the table awaiting final approval involves a request made by Major David Meienschein in the beginning of February for approval for SPD to transfer $47,000 to the Police Services-Vehicle Maintenance account from funds received from the speed camera program placed in surplus. This transfer is for the purchase of equipment to outfit seven new patrol vehicles for the police department.

This equipment consists of seven Panasonic Toughbook CF mobile data computers, seven emergency equipment console/computer mount packages and Seven Slick Ticket II scanner/printer units.

According to the ordinance, seven new police patrol vehicles were approved in FY13 and have been purchased with delivery in the near future. The purchase and installation of computers and related equipment is needed for these patrol vehicles.

The City Council voted unanimously to approve the budget amendment to transfer funds from the speed camera program to the police department’s Vehicle Maintenance Account to purchase the equipment.