Cocoa Beach May Continue Red Light Cameras

COCOA BEACH, Fla. -- City of Cocoa Beach Commissioners voted 3-2 Thursday night to direct the City Manager to negotiate a one-year extension of the City's red light camera contract with American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (“ATS”).

Cocoa Beach Mayor Dave Netterstrom and Vice-Mayor Tim Timulty voted against the extension.  Both proposed that the contract should end this year, citing a lack of data showing that the cameras actually improved safety.

Commissioner Skip Williams was the strongest proponent of keeping the red light cameras in place.  However, Williams asked City Staff to require in any contract extension with ATS a provision that the City would not have to pay any amount at the end of the renewed year for equipment removal.  Had the contract expired this year, the City would have had to pay between $13,000 to $15,000 to remove the red light camera equipment.

Last year, Brevard County Judge John Murphy ruled that the red light camera contract between the City of Cocoa Beach and  ATS violated Florida Statutes and was therefore unlawful.   Court records show that the City did not appeal that decision.

The City of Cocoa Beach is the only municipality in Brevard County that still has red light cameras in place.