Only three red-light cameras coming to Elgin

Elginites beware: Big Brother soon will be watching you.

But only at three city intersections - not 13 as studied earlier this year for cameras that record red-light violations.

City leaders at 6 p.m. today will revisit a contract with RedFlex to install cameras to record and ticket motorists who run red lights.

The Arizona-based firm has handled Chicago's red-light enforcement since 2003 and has several other contracts in the suburbs.

If OK'd tonight and formally approved on Aug. 27, the following Elgin intersections will have cameras: east and westbound Big Timber Road and McLean Boulevard; southbound Dundee Avenue at Summit Street; and westbound Kimball Road at State Street (Route 31).

"I'm kind of surprised (at three) because I thought we wanted to do more. This could be we're just doing baby steps," Councilman John Walters said. "If we started out with 13, that could put people in shock. This is Big Brother big time."

City officials had considered 13 earlier this year. Deputy Police Chief Bob Beeter said more cameras could be coming in the future, especially along county and state highways, such as Randall Road and Route 25.

"We'd like to take a look at Randall," he said. "We're trying to get the system up and running and do a periodic evaluation of other intersections."

City leaders have said the cameras are to increase safety instead of feeding the bottom line.

But if people keep running red lights, the city could make a bundle of cash.

RedFlex charges the city $4,395 a month to operate the cameras, maintain and monitor them and collect fines.

Beeter said any fines collected that are more than the monthly fee belong to the city.

The criteria for each intersection that was worthy of a camera is 15 red-light violations per 24 hours, Beeter said.

At $75 a ticket, that equates to $1,125 a day, or $410,625 a year - per intersection - in fines.