East Dundee considering traffic cameras

Committing certain serious traffic offenses in East Dundee soon could drain your bank account and have you scrambling to catch public transportation.

An East Dundee special committee this week reviewed proposals to install red-light cameras at some of the village's busiest intersections and to adopt a controversial impound ordinance.

Trustee Mike Ruffulo said RedSpeed International, a United Kingdom-based company specializing in traffic enforcement equipment, will survey five intersections to determine if they warrant red light cameras.

Those intersections include routes 25 and 68, routes 68 and 72, routes 72 and Van Buren and Route 72 and River Street.

Some board members questioned if the red light cameras would be a revenue source rather than a public safety tool.

"We didn't want to create a situation where say you roll over that magic line and a week later you get a notice that you ran the red light," said Village President Dan O'Leary, who opposed the proposal along with trustees Jeff Lynam and Kathleen Mahony. "Or say you have to make a call because of the weather. Should I stop, or should I go? I think individual discretion is needed in those situations."

Trustees also considered a $250 fee to reclaim vehicles impounded if motorists are caught driving without a valid license or insurance, under the influence of drugs or alcohol or other offenses.

The village board is expected to take action on both proposals at Monday's regular board meeting.

Village officials said the administrative fee, which is on top of any towing and storage fees, would cover the costs of processing the ticket.

"There are some administrative costs associated with the impounding of vehicles." O'Leary said. "We did not think it was fair for the taxpayers to pay that cost. This is passing the costs onto to the person responsible."

Algonquin, Carpentersville, Elgin and West Dundee have implemented similar fines.

"We don't look at it as a revenue stream," Police Chief Terry Mee said. "It provides additional attention to criminal offenses that are a detriment to the safety of the public."

In addition, the board will consider an administrative adjudication program, a local court that would hear appeals related to the proposed red light camera system and impound ordinance.

"This will let us manage our own code enforcement," O'Leary said. "Instead of going to court to appeal an impound fee or red light camera fine, residents go through the adjudication process."