County approves school bus camera agreement

In an effort to prevent students from getting hit by a

vehicle as they exit or get on a school bus, the County Commissioners approved

an agreement between themselves, the Board of Education and the Sheriff’s

Department that allows for the installation of cameras on the school system’s

buses.

“The thing is, we don’t have to lose a child or have one

injured,” said Chairman Tommy Stalnaker during Tuesday’s meeting.

Billy Jerles, the school board attorney, informed the

Commissioners that the cameras would be installed on some buses by the middle

of January. Eventually, all buses will be equipped with the cameras.

Jerles said if someone is caught passing a bus that has its

signals flashing and the stop arm out, then the fine will be a civil fine,

meaning it would not go against the person’s driver’s license.

According to the overview of the agreement, the Board of

Education will contract with American Traffic Solutions, Inc., which will

provide the equipment and services for the cameras, and the Sheriff’s

Department will provide the “resources necessary to administer traffic

enforcement and violation detection under the program.”

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