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Commissioners approve county school‑zone speed camera program, award contract to Novoa Global
Summary
St. Mary’s County commissioners voted to add sheriff’s office staff and award a contract to Novoa Global to operate an automated speed photo enforcement program limited to school zones; board approved related budget amendment and revolving fund; vendor and sheriff described program scope, costs and civil citation procedures.
The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County on June 24 authorized a county automated speed photo enforcement (ASPE) program limited to school zones, approved creation of two positions in the sheriff’s budget to run the program, awarded the contract to Novoa Global Inc. (subject to contract paperwork) and approved a budget amendment establishing the program fund.
The board voted to add 1 FTE sworn contract deputy (Automated Speed Photo Enforcement) and 1 FTE automated enforcement technician to the sheriff’s budget effective July 1, 2026, and authorized the procurement officer to award the ASPE program contract to Novoa Global subject to receipt and acceptance of contract documents. Commissioners also approved the related budget amendment to establish the program budget and a revolving fund.
Capt. Richard Russell, commander of the Special Operations Division for the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, framed the program as a traffic‑safety tool. “It’s a tool to reduce speed,” he said, adding the goal is to “reduce accidents and and save lives.” Russell said the sheriff’s office will administer the program and work with the vendor on site selection and validation.
Novoa Global’s business development manager, Debbie Traynor, described the company’s turnkey service: speed studies at candidate school zones, portable and fixed camera units, maintenance, encrypted imaging and a public website where violators can view images and pay or contest citations. “Our company offers a full turnkey program, where we perform the majority of tasks associated with the program,” she told commissioners, describing portable battery‑operated units and fixed installations that can use existing poles or new poles where needed.
County staff and the vendor answered technical questions at length. The contract presented to the board is structured as an operational service with a one‑year price in the bid documents and a program term discussed at three years; commissioners were told the vendor recommends leaving units in place at locations at least three months to change driver behavior. The sheriff’s office estimated first‑year operating costs in the board presentation at about $670,165; citations would be civil violations. Traynor said the system captures images and video and the vendor’s technicians import plate data for law‑enforcement verification before citations are issued.
The program was described in the public materials and at the meeting as limited to school zones (per the county ordinance); signage and advance public education were emphasized as part of the rollout. Sheriff’s office staff said the vendor will handle hardware deployment and maintenance and that the sheriff’s office will validate violations and handle customer inquiries and court representation if needed.
Why it matters: Commissioners approved a new automated enforcement program aimed at reducing speeding and crashes in school zones while creating a county budget and staffing structure to administer citations and public oversight. The contract award and program budget establish a near‑term operational approach; the county will track enforcement, citation volume and safety outcomes.
