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Manatee County ends school speed‑zone camera program after board vote
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners voted 5–2 to end the county-managed school speed‑zone camera program, directing staff to terminate contracts and stop issuing automated violations effective March 6, 2025.
Manatee County commissioners voted to stop the county’s school speed‑zone camera program, ordering staff to cease issuing violations and to terminate related contracts.
The board adopted a motion by Commissioner Bob McCann to halt camera enforcement effective midnight on March 6, 2025, and to direct staff to take the steps needed to end the program. The motion passed on a 5–2 recorded vote, with Commissioners Marshall Sadiq and Mike Ron voting no.
Supporters of the motion argued the system was not meeting its safety goals and had become a public-relations liability. “It’s not serving its intended purpose,” Commissioner McCann said when introducing the motion, adding that the sheriff and school board did not view the cameras as essential to school‑zone safety. Opponents urged caution, noting the cameras produced data that could be used for targeted traffic‑calming and for advising the sheriff where enforcement may be needed. “We have data. Let’s act on it,” Commissioner Marshall Sadiq said, asking the board to pursue traffic‑calming measures before eliminating the tool.
County staff told the board the cameras had generated more than 55,000 vendor‑identified violations since rollout; roughly 22,000 of those had been paid. Staff also reported there are invoices and agreements that will require follow‑up work to wind down contracts and to coordinate with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office on the cancellation process.
Under the board’s direction, staff will stop new citations being issued after March 6 and will return with any necessary ordinance language and a summary of contract termination steps and fiscal implications. The board did not adopt a resolution to refund past citations; staff noted that appeals and magistrate processes for existing citations would continue according to law.
The termination sets a new course for school‑zone enforcement: commissioners encouraged staff to use the program’s data to inform non‑camera enforcement and traffic‑calming investments going forward. County staff said they would coordinate follow‑up briefings with the sheriff and present options for reusing any county‑funded positions tied to the program.
