Staff Report

Munroe Falls barely has enough residents to qualify as a city. A city must have at least 5,000 residents, and Munroe Falls had 5,044 as of the 2020 census.

 

City Councilman John Impellizzeri, at large, said the small tax base and minimal political power when vying for state or federal funding has made it a challenge to fund infrastructure improvements. He’s proposed traffic cameras as a solution to raise money and curb speeding.

“If a majority of people don't like the idea, then I'm going to vote against my own legislation. If the majority do like the idea, then I will vote for it,” he said. “But regardless, I'm going to bring it up.”

Impellizzeri is seeking re-election this year and said he will gauge opinions for the cameras while collecting signatures for his candidate petition. He intends to present legislation, which has already been drafted, to City Council for a vote this summer. 

The idea for traffic cameras originated with former Council President Chris Ritzinger, but it never came before City Council for a vote. Impellizzeri said he’s taken up the cause.

He’s presented the council with information from a speed study and has been discussing options with the Newburgh Heights-based Targeting and Solutions Limited. It’s the same company that supplied the village of Peninsula with its camera system, which Impellizzeri acknowledged has received criticism.  

“But, they had a speeding problem, and now it’s under control,” he said, adding that it also raised “a heck of a lot of revenue for the city.”

Munroe Falls collects about $7 million a year, and the average cost for annual road repairs is $1 million, Impellizerri said. He does not want to raise taxes but said more than half the roads are in “disrepair” — more than the city can currently afford to fix.

Statewide, the most recent transportation budget bill included a ban on speed enforcement cameras. But that only applies to counties and townships.

The city conducted speed studies for two-and-a-half days on state Route 91 near South River Road and on Munroe Falls Avenue near Prentiss Street, where the speed limits are 35 mph. 

A total of 771 vehicles were recorded speeding on Route 91, and the highest speed was 78 mph. A total of 2,062 vehicles were recorded speeding on Munroe Falls Avenue, and the highest speed was 91 mph.  

Based on the number of potential citations for driving more than 10 mph over the limit, the city could potentially collect $3.96 million a year. That’s with a $175 citation, minus a $25 court fee and 40% share that would go to Targeting and Solutions Limited. 

 

Impellizzeri said the company would be paid through its share of citation revenue and no city funds. There’s the option of pole-mounted speed cameras or handheld units for officers.

A city police officer would review the videos and decide whether to take action. A warning or citation would be sent in the mail, and drivers could appeal it in court.

“The difference ends up being from getting pulled over is that this citation is on the vehicle,” Impellizzeri said. “It's not on the individual. Since that ends up being the case, no points on your license.”

Discussions about the cameras have elicited mostly negative responses, according to council representatives. 

“It's a very controversial issue,” Ward 3 Councilman Al Prince said. “I understand it's very controversial. Everyone on council understands that. Everybody on council is forming their opinions on it now, but at issue here is we need to find a way to pay for road resurfacing.”

Prince said he would prefer, based on feedback from his constituents, that speed cameras be a “last resort.” He’d rather examine the city’s budget to see what money could be reallocated or seek state funding for infrastructure. 

  

Council President Ross Widenor, Ward 1, said he does not want city funding to depend on an undesirable behavior, nor does he want the city to have the reputation of a “speed camera city.”

However, he understands the city is behind on paving. Most of the income from the city’s road and bridge levy has been used to repay a loan for previous roadwork. So he’s waiting to see the legislation details before deciding his vote.

“In general, we do hear negative feedback from the community about the program,” Widenor said. “But people also want infrastructure paid for, and I'm sure tax increases would not be a popular subject either.”

He added, “The question is what is the least unpopular way to generate that revenue.”