Mt. Pleasant Council pushing speed LIDAR ordinance

Last Wednesday, the Mt. Pleasant City Council voted to move a new speed camera ordinance to a second reading.

The ordinance would allow the Mt. Pleasant Police Department to work alongside a company named Blue Line Solutions.

They would provide LIDAR-based automated photo speed enforcement technology. Blue Line would also handle the speeding billing and collection data.

The equipment provided by the company would be a handheld device, along with a mobile speed sensor.

Mt. Pleasant Chief of Police Lyle Murray would be the one to oversee the use and placement of the equipment.

The equipment would be shifted locations every week, moving on Fridays. Citizens would be given a heads up to where the location of the sensor is on Monday mornings.

One of the main critiques of the ordinance revolved around the idea that it’s a money grab.

Murray assured that the purpose was to slow the amount of speeding in town. It’s about public safety.

According to Murray, Blue Line will receive 40% of the money collected from fines, while the rest will go into city public safety.

The speed enforcement idea first came from Blue Line. They were the ones to approach Murray with the proposal.

The council had no prior knowledge.

The first reading of the ordinance was not voted unanimously.

Council members Kent White, Terry McWilliams, and Bob Griffith all voted in favor of the ordinance. Steve Engberg also hesitantly voted yes. He said he wanted to see the ordinance have more of a public discussion.

Jeff Batty and Matt Crull all voted against it.

The ordinance will have to survive two more sessions to get approval.

Comments: hunter.moeller@southeastiowaunion.com