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Lenoir City Council hires school resource officer, advances school-zone speed-enforcement program and approves routine items
Summary
The council approved hiring a certified school resource officer, moved forward with a school-zone speed-enforcement program after a traffic study, and passed several routine motions including disposal of decorative poles and payment of bills.
Lenoir City Council voted to hire a certified school resource officer, gave staff direction to proceed with a school-zone speed-enforcement program after reviewing a traffic study, and approved routine administrative items including disposal of selected decorative poles and payment of city bills.
Police Chief White recommended hiring a lateral candidate who already holds SRO certification, Donald Carroll, currently with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Department. The personnel committee recommended approval and the council voted to hire Carroll to fill the newly approved SRO position. Council roll call recorded unanimous support for the hire.
The council also moved to proceed with BlueLine Solutions' school-zone speed-enforcement program after the company presented five-day traffic counts at several school corridors. The presenter said BlueLine's study showed high volumes and notable numbers of vehicles exceeding posted speeds: at McGee Boulevard near Little City Elementary, 12,280 vehicles passed in five days and 1,628 were 11 mph or more over the limit; at the high school corridor, 16,000 vehicles passed with 2,541 exceeding the limit by 11 mph or more; Harris Road at Oldham Avenue saw 19,436 vehicles with about 4,100 over the 11-mph threshold; and combined counts at North Middle and Eaton Elementary on 321/Highway 70 totaled 29,000 vehicles with 4,753 above the posted speed plus 11 mph. City staff described the program rollout as an eight- to nine-month process to implement the enforcement program and indicated a resolution to proceed would come back to council as paperwork and interlocal arrangements are completed.
Other routine items the council approved included a motion to dispose of old pole-mounted decorative snowflake fixtures to free storage space and a motion that bills be paid when properly approved and funds are available. The council also approved the meeting agenda and previous minutes earlier in the session.
Why it matters: The SRO hire places a certified officer in the local school system, and the speed-enforcement program targets school-zone safety following a traffic study that found multiple instances of vehicles substantially exceeding posted speed limits. The administrative votes finalize routine city housekeeping consistent with council practice.
