Speed detection devices officially adopted in November meeting
News November 18, 2021
ELLIJAY, Ga. – With the official final adoption of the speed detection devices ordinance in the county happening today, Gilmer Sheriff Stacy Nicholson and the Sheriff’s Office will implement devices in the school zones on Yukon Road, Clear Creek Road, and Highway 282.
Going through an extensive process that first saw major public attention with the Gilmer County Board of Education back in July, 2021, the speed detection devices were presented at the BOE to deal with continued complaints over these areas during high traffic times when school starts and ends.
Nicholson called the area an “enforcement issue” in July and laid out plans to deal with the issue through these devices. The idea has seen some question the plan, but not on enforcement or timing. Instead, the voiced concerns in meetings of the BOC as they have presented the ordinance has been on the personal information collected by the cameras.
Nicholson stated in July that he hoped that the vast majority of citizens would be reached and well informed via social media, news media, county meetings, and other methods well before implementation. And the office has pursued that goal as both Sheriff Nicholson and Major Michael Gobble have been at meetings sharing information and answering questions. Gobble was the officer present at the BOC’s public hearing on the topic and answered questions on personal information.
Maj. Gobble said that the camera will not capture information from every car that drives through the zone. Not only will they only be active twice a day, once at the beginning and once at the end of each school day, but they will only capture information when triggered by a speed violation.
The Sheriff’s Office has explained that the information is collected by a company and is sent to the Sheriff’s Office where a School Resource Officer will review and verify the violation and return it to the company to issue a civil fine.
When the information is collected it is stored on file until the fine is resolved. All of this information is protected under Federal Law and not to be sold or released. Governed in the same way that law enforcement agencies are regulated to handle the same information.
Now, the county has heard its second reading of the ordinance. Chairman Charlie Paris stated in the BOC meeting today, “I’m going to make a motion that this be adopted based on the assurances that it would only be operational for the morning and afternoon drop-offs and not a regular full time thing.”
County Attorney David Clark told the board that the times would be an operational issue between the board and the Sheriff’s Office, not necessary in the ordinance. Chairman Paris then adjusted saying it would be an operational issue that he would enforcement as long as the other two board members approved of it. Seconded by Post 1 Commissioner Hubert Parker, the motion carried unanimously.
Originally, Sheriff Nicholson was shooting to have the speed detection devices implemented on all three roads around October. With the process now finished, these devices can go up any day now. With school out next week for Thanksgiving, there is only three weeks left before the December 17 final day of the Fall Semester and the start of the Winter Holidays.
Speed Cameras coming to local School Zones
News July 27, 2021
EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – “It is an enforcement issue,” said Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson as he spoke about school traffic zones and the reduced speed during school hours.
Sheriff Nicholson offered a report to the Gilmer Board of Education during their July meeting concerning a problem with speeding in school zones and what the office is preparing to implement in response to it.
Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson
School zones require a reduction in speed from drivers twice a day to help with the beginning of the day when students are coming in to school and the end of day when school lets out. According to Nicholson, these roughly one hour windows in the morning and afternoon are the times that the speed limits drop and complaints begin. He noted that the office expects people to become informed about the cameras and for the issue to mostly resolve before they even implement the devices.
To help with enforcement, the Sheriff has contracted with a company to put up speed cameras to capture speeders in the zone and issue tickets electronically. Not a new concept, many cities utilize camera on traffic lights in a similar fashion to issue fines against those running red lights.
Nicholson said that while it doesn’t directly affect the school system’s operation, he wanted to take the time to inform them and also to spread the word about the coming change. Nicholson asserted several times that he wants to focus on informing the public and letting them know in advance about the cameras and not to blindside them or catch them off guard.
Nicholson said that he constantly receives complaints about speeds during the school year. There are three locations that will utilize the cameras including; Mountainview Elementary School on Highway 282, Clear Creek Middle School on Clear Creek Road, and Clear Creek Elementary School on Yukon Road.
Utilizing both traffic cameras and radar, the devices will operate more as a deterrent than a ticket device as Nicholson said his hopes were to aid in the enforcement issues.
The scenario will play out as someone speeds through the area, the captured infractions are sent to a local appointed officer, which Nicholson said will likely be a SRO (School Resource Officer). That officer reviews the infractions and makes sure there are no mistakes, then the company will send out tickets to those the officer approves.
One important note, Nicholson said that these are civil fines, not traffic tickets. One of the major differences Nicholson noted, is that not paying the civil fine will not automatically send a person to jail, but “it will go to court.”
The Sheriff’s Office does have more details to work out. As Nicholson said, he wants to give ample time to the public to find out and know about the radar cameras before implementation. That said, these devices could be seen in use as early as September or October in Gilmer County.
Secured to poles, these devices will be set inside the zones that the county has marked and signed as a reduction in speed.
Board Chairman Ronald Watkins mentioned adding other devices to the areas such as flashing lights as seen in some other counties where they have flashing yellow lights posted on school zone signs during the hours of reduced speed. Nicholson said that the County has the responsibility on changing signage and using that type of signage. However, Nicholson did say that he has looked into another suggestion from Watkins with the trailers with a strobe highlighting a driver’s current speed.
All of this comes in support of Nicholson’s push to, as he said, warn and inform Gilmer’s citizens over and over again about the devices before they even get implemented.