Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Thanks Tory

Thanks Tory, for:

A. Signing your name.
B. Giving your opinion

Tory, let me clarify I don't have an opinion about this yet. Do I have a ton of questions that need answered ?– yes. Do I have reservations ?– yes. Do I see the potential of these cameras ?– yes. Did I vote No last night on the study ?– yes. Does that mean I?’m opposed to cameras ?– not necessarily.

I don?’t think we need to be jumping in head first with a study from a company without having our questions answered up front. Having a vendor provide a study to me is kind of like having the fox watch the henhouse. :-)

Tory you?’re in the IT field. Would you have IBM come in and do a study to determine if you need to buy some more hardware from them? Or would you do your due-diligence UP-FRONT and then talk to the vendor?

Jeff mentioned in his reply to you the statistics the company provided showing a significant decrease?…. Well ?“DUH?” ?– no offense Jeff but if you were trying to sell a new product would you EVER present negative information to a potential buyer? Sure the motor?’s going to fall out of the car after you drive it off the lot but studies have shown that?…

Sorry for the sarcasm but come on. The guy presenting the information is a salesperson!

When I questioned him about the negative studies his demeanor quickly changed last night and he didn?’t know anything about them supposedly. If I were selling these I?’d know about the negative studies and at least have an answer ready to go to try and discredit the negative information.

Jeff is right though ?– we won?’t have any information about estimated # of tickets, revenue, etc until after the study. But you can estimate a 25/75 split on the revenue with the city receiving the 25% at the onset of this project when it starts. That?’s about all I know right now from a revenue standpoint.

There are 2 things I can think of right now that I'm going to request when the contract comes back.

1. We can remove cameras at intersections if there is an increase in the number of accidents.

2. Contract is null and void if the call-center goes overseas.


By Brian Wisniewski

Questions for you

Tory, Redflex sells many other products in addition to the RedFlex Red product being discussed now.

What is your opinion on cameras at stop signs? Cameras for speed? Cameras for speed in neighborhoods.

The residents on Diley road are very concerned about speeding obviously once it gets to 5 lanes. What do you think about speed cameras on Diley to reduce speeding if/when it occurs? Or 256?

I have received more safety-related complaints about people speeding in the neighborhoods than any other single issue since I've been in office. What do you think about a mobile unit provided by Redflex to park in neighborhoods? Those are manned units per-se.

And I've seen some serious accidents at the 4-way stops on Diley, which will be going away, but they've occurred many times.

I don't see much difference between one product or another personally - just wanted to know what you or others think.

Thanks.

By Brian Wisniewski

Some answers

First I?’d like to say up front that I see systems such as RedFlex as a deterrent to those individuals that choose to break the law. I think that there should a consequence when you don?’t obey the rules. That?’s what I?’ve taught my son, who has now been driving for over a year.

Do I think that we need to place cameras at stop signs or in speed zones? Beats me?… Is this an all or nothing proposition? I guess that I don?’t see the correlation. If I?’m presented with a choice between raising taxes to hire more Cops or using some tax dollars to purchase red light cameras that may generate revenue through automated traffic enforcement?… I?’d still choose the latter. Perhaps I?’m gazing at the world through rose colored glasses, but I?’d hope that a few times that people get their picture snapped running a red light, that might cascade down into people being a little more willing to abide by simple traffic laws all together.

I honestly believe that people today are becoming more aggressive and more distracted behind the wheel. There has to be a response in some way. Do we have the money to hire more officers? If the answer is no and we don?’t wish to go down the road of RedFlex, then what is the solution for our little corner of the world? I do salute you for providing due diligence in order to determine if RedFlex is right for Pickerington. Personally I find the way many people drive these days to be absolutely laughable. I couldn?’t tell you how many times I?’ve been out in my front yard cutting the grass, shoveling snow, washing the truck, etc and some idiot goes flying down my residential (25 MPH) street. Each and every time, I yell to slow down. Does my screaming like a fool do any good? Probably not, but it makes me feel better.

Yes, I work in the IT field (and I?’m not a Computer Programmer) and I understand you?’re concerns that we?’re becoming more and more accepting of technology solving our problems. I?’d assume that systems such as RedFlex must be monitored in order to be admissible in court. I know when someone has entered into my systems and have done something out of the ordinary. Perhaps RedFlex can provide what steps they take to insure the integrity of their system?

Lastly, I?’m going to leave you with a question and I?’m not trying to be a smart-aleck even though you and I both know that is what defines me as a person anyway. Let?’s say you live next door to me and somebody broke into your house. If I took a picture of that person as they drove away, is that an invasion of privacy?

Diggin' up my bones

OK, you outted me. I haven?’t looked at this site in probably3 or 4 months and, well, I guess it?’s been a long time since I posted. Since I used to just stick to school topics it would be out of character for me to post on city topics. But hey, it?’s been a long time so let?’s let er rip.

I am pleasantly pleased with the way things are going in the city since the first of the year. The difference is evident. Good decisions, good news and, for the most part, good people. For the most part. Brian, I voted for you. But t be perfectly honest, it was a hard choice. Sometimes you seem to invite a fight. I don?’t think there is anything wrong with not backing down from one but don?’t always be so seemingly eager to start one. Remember who you are dealing with.

Jeff, I did not vote for you. Despite all your slick campaign literature your message was empty. I think I made the right decision because for the most part, your tenure on council has been equally empty.

I am not going to run down the list of my thoughts on all of council and the mayor. You two posted here and I am responding to you. Other then Smith who I saw on TV the other day saying basically nothing, most of the rest of you all have been quiet in the papers. Nice change.

Now you two are at odds over this redlight thing. Jeff, you need to temper the pompous ?“It?’s all for the Safety?” mantra. You remind me of Lisa Reade with ?“It?’s all for the Kids?” line. But then I can?’t forget how closely you two are connected. Let?’s face it Jeff, you are a control freak. This is just an extension of your ego. You want to be able to tell people ?“I was elected to run this city the way I want to.?” Although coined by Doug Parker, you are living that dream.

Brian, you are way down in the weeds with this thing. Try and view it from the higher level. You make sound, rational, dare I say data driven decisions? That is important when dealing with slick salesmen. The time will come for you to battle with data. This is not the time. Don?’t spend every bullet in your arsenal shooting at the enemy that is still over the hill. He is coming so wait until you can see him.

And finally to both of you, quit dragging the police chief into this. He is perfectly capable of speaking for himself. He is just better than both of you at remaining apolitical.

Anyone want to talk schools?
Why am I still paying pay-to-play fees after all this time?
Is the AD at Central an employee of the Principal or the Super or who?

Central Mom, would you go on a date with me???





By Central Dad