Residents raise notice and fairness concerns over new school‑zone camera enforcement; city explains ticketing process

Residents appeared at the Deerfield Beach City Commission meeting to report receiving automated school‑zone violation notices with what they described as insufficient advance notice; staff and commissioners responded with procedural details and outreach plans.

Tatiana Galliano (listed in the meeting as Tatiana Galliano), a Deerfield Beach resident, told the commission she received four camera violations between May 15 and May 29 and said she did not receive timely notice for the first two violations. She asked the city to review and consider dismissing the later notices or provide documentation supporting delayed notice if the city lacks administrative authority to dismiss them. Galliano said she received a prior warning but believed enforcement had not started because lights were not flashing and the timing of violations fell outside typical pickup hours.

Jeff Bradshaw, another resident, described multiple tickets he said were issued while he was traveling to a Veterans Affairs appointment; he said he accepted responsibility for speeding but asked whether enforcement and ticketing were applied consistently overnight.

Mayor Todd Drozky and commissioners clarified how enforcement works and what options recipients have. Commissioner Christopher Hudak recited the citation and hearing process: the camera violation is $100 and carries no points; the city’s administrative fee for upholding a citation at a hearing is $80, he said, so a hearing determination upholding a violation would total $180. Hudak said if a resident requests a local hearing and the hearing officer finds no infraction, the notice is dismissed with no costs. He also explained that the city’s ordinance sets the administrative fee at $80 (contrary to a figure one resident had cited).

The commission and staff clarified operating hours and enforcement details: the state statute permits automated camera enforcement only 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after school hours for an active school day; the city also said camera enforcement had a public outreach period before citations began, that BSO deputies remain able to enforce speed limits outside camera hours, and that the school‑zone cameras had been deactivated for the summer as of June 3. The mayor said the city used social media and other channels during a 30‑day warning period prior to citations beginning and that the city will deploy portable message boards before the fall school opening.

Commissioners and staff encouraged affected residents to request a hearing if they believe notice was untimely and to consult Sean Gladio, the director of public safety (staff on site at the meeting), for case‑specific follow‑up. The commission also committed to additional outreach before school resumes in August, including website notices, social posts, press releases, mobile message boards deployed by July 21, and informational postcards at community centers and school open houses.

No votes or ordinance changes were taken at the meeting; commissioners framed the matter as a public‑information and administrative‑process concern and instructed staff to improve outreach and to assist residents through the hearing process.