Live Oak council hears concerns, questions on school‑zone speed detection ordinance

The City Council of the City of Live Oak opened a public hearing on ordinance 15‑35, which would authorize placement and use of speed detection systems in school zones, and heard multiple public comments and a vendor presentation but did not vote on the ordinance at the meeting.

Council members and members of the public said the proposal touches on school‑safety, enforcement capacity and privacy, and several speakers urged further study before any contract is awarded.

David Book, a representative of Blue Line Solutions and a retired law enforcement officer, told the council his firm conducted speed studies at city schools ‘‘in a one‑week period of five days’’ and recorded ‘‘4,400 people that were speeding 11 miles an hour or over your schools.’’ He described a program that begins with a site assessment, public information and a 30‑day warning period and said the company’s approach typically yields an ‘‘80 [percent] reduction rate’’ in speeding before citations are issued.…