Stratford council refers draft automated traffic enforcement ordinance after privacy and process questions

The Stratford Town Council voted June 11 to refer a draft ordinance authorizing automated traffic-enforcement devices to the ordinance committee after councilors raised questions about who would be cited, how appeals would work and how personally identifiable information would be handled.

Mayor Hoytig opened discussion by noting the draft follows a state template and said the program is designed to issue civil citations to registered vehicle owners to support local enforcement. Councilor Shaikh and others sought clarity on whether a registered owner would always be cited even when a vehicle had been stolen or used without permission; council members asked whether the identity of the actual driver would be recorded and how that would factor into appeals.

Town Attorney (speaker 12) told the council the process is set up as a civil enforcement mechanism rather than a motor-vehicle or criminal infraction. He described an appeals process in which a citation clerk would schedule a public hearing before a hearings examiner; the hearings examiner would hear witnesses and make a determination, and an adverse determination could be forwarded to civil court for judgment.

Councilors also questioned how fines would be allocated. Town Attorney said template language appears to direct monies toward local enforcement uses rather than the general fund, but he will review the enabling legislation and the ordinance committee will determine whether a dedicated account or specific wording is needed. Councilor Green requested clearer language tying funds to transportation and safety uses and asked the ordinance committee to explore a dedicated account if permitted by statute.

Privacy and workload concerns animated much of the debate. Councilors asked who on the town side would review vendor-supplied images and whether a vendor would be paid upfront for cameras, software or only as citations are issued. The mayor said third-party vendors commonly carry upfront costs and are paid a fee per citation; the town would need to determine whether the citation-review workload sits with police or municipal staff. Councilor Green also asked how the ordinance's 30-day personal-information-destruction requirement would allow the town to identify repeat offenders; speakers acknowledged that operational details about retention and repeat-offender tracking must be resolved at ordinance committee.

The council had a motion and second to dispense with the first reading and refer the draft ordinance to the ordinance committee; the referral passed by voice vote. Mayor Hoytig and staff indicated they will provide additional briefing and that the police chief will be invited to ordinance committee to discuss likely camera locations and traffic data that supports siting decisions.

The ordinance remains a draft; further detail on costs, staffing, data retention, and a recommended funding account is expected when the ordinance returns from committee.