WELLINGTON, Fla. — For months, WPTV has been listening to frustrated drivers all across Palm Beach County about speed cameras in school zones
The cameras are popping up in communities all across the area.
WATCH BELOW: Money grab or safety tool? We took your questions to Wellington officials
In Wellington, Mary McLean reached out to WPTV reporter Christy Waite after she said she was ticketed when the lights weren't flashing near Wellington Landings Middle School.
After our story aired, McLean told us that her ticket was dismissed and she would not have to attend a hearing to dispute it.
Since then, WPTV has been sorting through messages from viewers. We took your questions directly to Village Manager Jim Barnes in a nearly 40-minute one-on-one interview.
Many people in the area want to know why the village needs to have speed cameras at school zones. Barnes tells us the Wellington’s School Zone Safety Program is designed to enhance safety around our school by cracking down on speeding, crashes, deaths and injuries.
Since the cameras were installed in September, the village has issued 14,337 citations:
- September: 2,938
- October: 4,235
- November: 4,021
- December: 3,143
Barnes said some of the hot spots are Polo Park Middle School and near Wellington High School. He said based on the numbers, the cameras are doing their job. He hopes the cameras force drivers to change their behavior behind the wheel and not speed.
Other community members questioned why the village doesn't use police officers to monitor the school zones. Barnes said the use of law enforcement would inflate law enforcement's budget, and the cameras are a more efficient way of making sure school zones stay safe.
WPTV spoke with Lauren Brody, who is running for Village Council Seat 3 and drives through multiple school zones a day. She tells us the cameras have forced her to change her driving route because she doesn't trust they will work the way they are supposed to.
Residents are also asking the village to provide more transparency when it comes to where the money goes after they pay their ticket. Some people are calling the program a "money grab" for the village. The village tells us the camera system is entirely funded by paid violations, and the cameras are provided by the vendor, Jenoptik, at no cost to the village.
The village provided a breakdown of where funds are allocated once a ticket is paid off. Barnes said the money is not being used for other projects, and it all goes back to the safety program.
A $100 citation is broken down by:
- $10 go to the speed camera vendor Jenoptik
- $50 goes to the Village of Wellington
- $23 to the Department of Revenue
- $12 goes to the school district for things crossing guards
- $5 goes to the sheriff's office
Complaints were also coming in about a speed discrepancy in the cameras. Barnes confirmed that there is a speed discrepancy in the cameras and it is less that 1 mph. Barnes said those citations were not sent out.
Earlier this month, the village released this statement to us:
"The Village is in the midst of a comprehensive, village-wide review of all school zones within the Wellington service area. While no major or widespread issues were identified during the initial assessment, the review process is ongoing. As part of this effort, the Village is evaluating opportunities to enhance signage and visibility in certain locations and, where appropriate, go above and beyond minimum requirements. Any enhancements identified through this study will be implemented over the coming months."
Barnes said no other changes will be made to school zones. He is reminding drivers to be mindful of the cameras and that nothing has changed.
"School zones haven't changed, the times of the school zones haven't changed, the posted speeds haven't changed. We are just enforcing it," Barnes said.
The Village of Wellington said if drivers have any other questions, concerns or want more information on why they were ticketed, please reach out to them.
