The final discussion item of last Tuesday night’s regular Marshalltown city council meeting concerned the new laws governing Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE), which take effect on July 1, and what changes will need to be made to comply with them.

As most residents are aware, the city began using two fixed site speed cameras — one on West Lincoln Way and another on South 12th Avenue/Governor Road — last summer before adding a mobile site earlier this year. City Consultant Cindy Kendall explained that there are “a number of things” in the new law that come into conflict with the city’s current ordinance.

Notably, the fee schedule for speeding offenses is now set to become uniform across the state, and the revenues generated from the cameras can only be put toward police and fire or street infrastructure.

“It’s very difficult when the council has already allocated 75 percent of the receipts towards other things that will be restricted (on) July 1,” Kendall said.

Kendall was referring to the previously approved allotments for community beautification/parks and recreation projects (50 percent) and the implementation of the Arts+Culture Master Plan (25 percent), which will no longer be allowable uses for the revenue. She asked the council for direction on changing the city’s ordinances for the collection and use of the receipts, and she also wanted clarity on whether the invalidated contracts would “die their normal deaths” due to lack of funding on July 1 or if the council would find another way to continue the agreements through a different funding source.

Police Chief Mike Tupper then took the stage and said Kendall had covered most of the main points before adding that the current ordinance has been sent on to the city attorney for input on how it needs to be revised.

“We’re also looking at signage because part of the new law has some specifications related to signage. We think we’re probably gonna be OK on the fixed sites, but we’re examining that. And we’re gonna have to add some signage to be able to use the mobile (units),” Tupper said. “And then the permitting process is something that the city’s gonna have to go through. And it’s a yet to be determined process, which is a little disappointing because the State Legislature knew that they were going to do this, and they were not prepared for a permitting process with the DOT (Department of Transportation). So we’re still waiting for the DOT to tell us what the rules are for permitting and how that’s gonna work.”

In theory, the chief added, permit applications are supposed to be submitted by July 1, so the turnaround time will be tight. Once the permit applications are submitted, the city can continue to use the equipment until Oct. 1, when the DOT is expected to make a decision on which programs will remain permitted.

“There’s a lot of work ahead of us (and) a lot to be determined, but staff is doing everything that we can to push this forward and control it,” Tupper said.

He expected a revised ordinance to be ready for the city council on June 10. Councilor Mark Mitchell asked Tupper about signage for the mobile units and whether they could also be mobile. The chief responded that in his understanding, signs notifying drivers of the use of mobile units must be placed at the entrance points to the community, and that will suffice.

As he solicited a call for public comments, Mayor/Acting City Administrator Joel Greer said he felt the cameras had slowed traffic down at both of the fixed sites, and Tupper noted that the two fixed sites alone have issued over 12,000 citations as proof of a speeding problem in Marshalltown.

“We have seen reduced speeds in our fixed locations, but we still have a speeding problem because we’re still issuing citations, obviously,” Tupper said. “But when we first went live, high speeds were very common. We’re not seeing as many of those, but you’ve heard me say it before. I’ll say it again. Speeding is the number one complaint I receive on a daily basis.”

Speed cameras are especially controversial on social media, the chief said, but they also have their supporters and people who wish they could be moved into their own neighborhoods on a permanent basis.

“It’s been a good tool for us. Cops can’t be everywhere at once. There’s not enough of us, and traffic is a big problem. And people are driving too darn fast. So put us out of business, Marshalltown, put us out of business,” Tupper said. “Obey the traffic laws, and we won’t be having this discussion.”

No official action was taken, and the meeting was adjourned.