Sykesville will become the first town in Carroll County to capture speeders via cameras, but the decision to do so did not come easily for some town's officials.

At its Feb. 22 meeting, the mayor and Town Council voted 5-1 to approve its Speed Monitoring Systems ordinance, authorizing the town to install three mobile speed cameras in school zones and issue fines.

The town expects to operate three mobile speed camera units in three school areas/zones for speed cameras:

* Ava Wanas Montessori School, 7590 College Road;

* Springfield Presbyterian Church/Stepping Stones Pre-School, 7300 Spout Hill Road; and

* Sykesville Middle School, 7301 Springfield Ave.

Councilman Leo Keenan voted against the measure, and Councilman Scott Sanzone was absent.

Arguments of legality, big brotherism and even party politics had been raised, but council members said a major factor was whether residents said they were OK having speed cameras in town.

The answer, to the surprise of some council members, was yes.

Councilwoman Leslie Reed said she struggled with the issue, but after polling residents was influenced to vote for speed cameras.

Reed said she was concerned about the general use of cameras throughout town, but the town already uses surveillance cameras on Main Street and in Cooper Tunnel. Still, she said she wants to make sure cameras will be the right thing for the small town.

"If we find that does not work for us and is causing problems or chaos, we can always vote to get rid of it," she said.

Mayor Mike Miller said he opposed cameras because he thought they intruded into people's behaviors, but he focused on what the residents wanted instead of let his personal views dictate a vote.

The combination of helping solve a long-term speeding problem and add money seemed appealing to the mayor.

"Of course, the town would benefit if these things produced revenue, but that is not the reason they were considered," he said in an e-mailed response.

"If blatant speeders would like to donate money to the town, then I'll certainly accept it. For those who stay within the limit ranges, they will experience no ill effects from the devices, financial or otherwise."

Council President Frank Robert Jr., said he thought along the same lines -- he initially didn't want the cameras for fear of government intrusion, but decided to listen to the residents he talked to -- and approve the cameras.

For him, cameras are temporary.

"I'm hoping it's not a long-term solution," he said. "That's the key for me, we do it short-term, get ahead of the curve and get solutions that don't require cameras."

Robert listed eight points that swayed his decision, including the fact that speeding is the town's No. 1 problem; that police are being stretched with about 100 calls per week in addition to court duty; and that fees will pay for the program.

"It's really a sin tax," he said. "The people who are sinning are the ones who get the tax."

Keenan said he looked at the benefits of having officers -- not cameras -- stop cars, and that led to his vote against the ordinance.

"I understand police will still be doing their speed enforcement as well, but there is an instance of whenever they pull someone over for anything, it gives (police) a chance to pull (a driver's) name through their database," he said. That could result in finding an outstanding warrant for an arrest, he added.

But Councilman Ian Shaw viewed the cameras as a way to allow officers time to pursue other duties and patrols.

"We don't have enough officers to do speed enforcement," he said.

Shaw said he doesn't like speed cameras, but voted in favor because they'll address the speeding problem and add revenue to a small town budget that's been slashed from state cuts.

Shaw said the cameras should encourage people to slow down, something he admitted he needs to do too.

"I'm a patron, too," he cracked.

The road ahead

The town has a way to go before drivers start seeing cameras on the streets.

Sykesville Police Chief John Williams Jr. said he must work with the District Court of Maryland to agree on what the citation and charging documents will look like, as well as pursue a vendor to operate and maintain the cameras.

Reed said she does not want the town to be in a restrictive, long-term contract -- so officials have the flexibility to opt out if they are dissatisfied.

Some aspects are already established by the state law, passed in 2009, that enables municipalities to operate speed cameras.

For instance, each ticket comes with a $40 municipal fine and no points on your driver's license.

The way the law is written, Sykesville can retain revenue that would equal up to 10 percent of its operating budget.

That means the town could see as much as $280,000 in its coffers, based on its $2.8 million budget. Additional revenue would go toward the expenses of the system and to the state.

For the current budget year, fiscal 2010, the town's public safety budget is $479,288. If Sykesville earns the maximum revenue for speed cameras, that would fund about 58 percent of the overall police budget.

Miller said the council will not move forward with speed cameras unless the vendor contract is beneficial to the town. Once they hit the streets, he views the first year as a trial period to see how they work for the town.

The mayor said it was interesting to him that a small town such as Sykesville would be the first in Carroll County to consider the devices.

"I'm in no way intimidated by the town taking the lead on this," he said. "If it works, great, if it does not, we can always terminate the program."

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