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Resident warns council that stop‑arm enforcement contract quotas may leave city exposed
Summary
A resident told the council 208 vehicles passed school buses in one month while only 68 tickets were issued and warned that a contract requiring a 5,000‑ticket performance over five years could trigger penalties if not met; councilors said they would monitor the program and seek clarification from police and staff.
At the June 16 meeting, resident Renee Ignatio told the City Council she reviewed police data for one month and said 208 vehicles passed East Providence school buses while only 68 tickets were issued. Ignatio said some tickets were dismissed, some defendants did not appear, and she questioned explanations that stop‑arm activations occurred when no children were on board.
Ignatio also warned about a contract provision she said requires the city to reach 100 paid tickets per month (a total of 5,000 over five years) to avoid penalties, and that any shortfall could cost the city under the terms she cited (she said roughly $75 per shortfall ticket). She provided bus‑level data and said she had given the documents to the council and to the school committee.
Councilors acknowledged the program’s early operational problems and said they would keep an eye on implementation. Meeting remarks indicated the city has prorated performance when start dates were delayed and that staff had discussed instances with the police chief; councilors asked staff to follow up on specific dismissal reasons and ticket‑processing counts.
Ignatio asked the council to ensure the program is operating correctly before penalties or other contractual obligations accrue. The council did not take formal action at the meeting but the exchange was placed on the record for follow up with police and administration.
