Board authorizes superintendent to negotiate automated school‑zone camera program with sheriff

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board voted July 21 to authorize the superintendent to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office to pursue a school‑zone automated speed enforcement program with Blue Line Solutions, pending final board approval.

Barb Manton of Blue Line Solutions told the board her team ran a five‑day speed study at 14 unincorporated parish schools and observed roughly 117,790 vehicle passes and nearly 27,000 violations (an offense defined in the study as 11+ mph over the posted school‑zone speed). Manton described the program as 100% violator funded and turnkey: a 30‑day warning/education phase is followed by civil citations reviewed by designated deputies and processed through a hearing officer or justice of the peace if contested.

"This is totally 100% violator funded, so you'll never get a bill from Blue Line Solutions," Manton said, adding that the company aims for a large reduction in speeding after implementation.

Board members raised a range of operational and policy questions before approving the motion. Questions included typical citation amounts (Manton said initial fines often range from about $80 to $150), how appeals would be handled, whether unpaid fines would go to collections, who would set the civil fine amount (the parish council via ordinance), and whether the sheriff's office or parish government had completed an RFP or market comparison.

"I just want to make sure when it comes back, we don't have a hiccup and have to do it again," said a board member during discussion, pressing for documentation that the parish had examined alternatives.

Manton also said vendors typically retain a percentage of collected fines to cover equipment and operations; she cited vendor fees in the neighborhood of 30% during discussion, and said camera units are roughly $70,000 each. The board discussed contract length and opt‑out language; Manton said three‑year contracts with renewal options are common and pilot programs (one or two schools) are possible.

The motion directs the superintendent to develop an MOU with the sheriff and return to the board with the agreement, ordinance language, and procurement information for final approval. The vote on the motion was unanimous on the roll call recorded in the meeting minutes.

Next steps noted at the meeting: the parish council must adopt an ordinance establishing the civil citation structure and the board will expect the superintendent to provide any RFQs/RFP documentation or evidence the sheriff's office considered multiple providers before final approval.

Authorities and legal notes: presenters cited Louisiana statutory requirements governing automated enforcement and cooperative agreements; the board was told the parish's distribution of any revenue would be set by statute and local ordinance, and that the sheriff's office must review and approve each citation before issuance.

The superintendent will return with a draft MOU, ordinance language and procurement documentation for the board to review before any enforcement phase begins.