Judge delays red light camera takedown
By: Julie Rambin
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: News
The red light cameras in College Station are staying put for now.
A temporary restraining order issued Wednesday by 85th District Court Judge Suzanne Stovall prevents the city from turning off the cameras for at least nine more days.
The restraining order was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by former Keep College Station Safe attorney Roger Gordon, alleging that the wording of the red light camera petition rendered the election invalid.
"We respect Judge Stovall's decision to grant the plaintiffs' request for a temporary restraining order and will look to her for a decision about the validity of the Nov. 3 election results," said College Station City Manager Glenn Brown in a statement. "However, should the judge rule that the election is invalid and that the red-light cameras should stay, I will recommend to the College Station City Council that we immediately inform American Traffic Solutions that we are giving them the required 60-day notice that we are canceling our contract and the cameras will be turned off."
The resolution to cease red light camera enforcement passed by a margin of 272 votes, a 52 percent majority.
The red light camera controversy started in summer 2009, when a petition circulated by College Station resident Jim Ash and his political action committee Take Back Your City was signed by 964 registered College Station voters.
The city accepted Ash's petition and scheduled a special election on the issue.
The political action committee Keep College Station Safe was founded in response to the petition, and received funding principally from American Traffic Solutions and several Houston companies with contracts with American Traffic Solutions.
An ethics complaint against Ash was previously filed by Gordon on behalf of Keep College Station Safe, saying that Ash violated Texas election code by accepting and spending money for the campaign without appointing a treasurer for Take Back Your City.
A temporary restraining order issued Wednesday by 85th District Court Judge Suzanne Stovall prevents the city from turning off the cameras for at least nine more days.
The restraining order was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by former Keep College Station Safe attorney Roger Gordon, alleging that the wording of the red light camera petition rendered the election invalid.
"We respect Judge Stovall's decision to grant the plaintiffs' request for a temporary restraining order and will look to her for a decision about the validity of the Nov. 3 election results," said College Station City Manager Glenn Brown in a statement. "However, should the judge rule that the election is invalid and that the red-light cameras should stay, I will recommend to the College Station City Council that we immediately inform American Traffic Solutions that we are giving them the required 60-day notice that we are canceling our contract and the cameras will be turned off."
The resolution to cease red light camera enforcement passed by a margin of 272 votes, a 52 percent majority.
The red light camera controversy started in summer 2009, when a petition circulated by College Station resident Jim Ash and his political action committee Take Back Your City was signed by 964 registered College Station voters.
The city accepted Ash's petition and scheduled a special election on the issue.
The political action committee Keep College Station Safe was founded in response to the petition, and received funding principally from American Traffic Solutions and several Houston companies with contracts with American Traffic Solutions.
An ethics complaint against Ash was previously filed by Gordon on behalf of Keep College Station Safe, saying that Ash violated Texas election code by accepting and spending money for the campaign without appointing a treasurer for Take Back Your City.
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