WOONSOCKET – At a June 15 City Council meeting, exasperation in her voice, Councilor Kristina Fox declared how wrong colleagues were to suggest that there’s any leeway on an $85 fine for red light infractions.
That statement, which came with a joke that Fox needed God’s help to grant her patience, led to Councilor Jim Cournoyer scheduling a special agenda item at the July 13 meeting.
Cournoyer said they requested that the Law Department draft necessary ordinances and the Police Department also make sure the city is in compliance as it proceeds with exploration of a new ticketing program. He said Fox then referenced general law in stating the the city has an obligation to charge $85. He asked Solicitor Michael Lepizzera at the July 13 meeting if that’s the case, and Lepizzera responded no.
After further inspection, state law absolutely requires $50 for speed zone ticketing, said Cournoyer, but is actually quiet about the $85 ticket for running a red light. When these topics come up, he said on July 13, it’s important to stick to facts and “not make such broad statements stridently.” As city continues to chart its course on implementing the camera system, he added, the discussion should not be based on emotion.
Fox then launched into a sarcasm-filled thank you to Cournoyer for taking the matter so seriously that he remembered her comments and brought them up a month later. She said she doesn’t regret “waving the flag” on the idea that the state perhaps dictates what the city has to charge should it move forward with its ticketing program. She said it’s good to see now that there is some leeway and more local control than expected.
Fox said she wanted to avoid lawsuits on this issue, and she’s happy to be wrong in her stance that the city can’t determine the fee on its own. She said she’d rather be wrong now than to not have said anything and, “whoops,” get sued.
Fox thanked Cournoyer for raising the issue again and moving this traffic safety measure along the path toward implementation.
Cournoyer said this isn’t about being right or wrong, but about making decisions based on facts. He noted Fox’s dismissive responses to his emails and comments at the earlier meeting. The Law Department, not the council, should have the ultimate say on compliance with state law as they move down the path toward implementing right light cameras, he said.
Elected leaders in Woonsocket, have maintained a philosophical difference on speed cameras, but all have agreed that they can get behind the idea of red light cameras.
