Glitches
stall launch
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| The cameras may be high-tech, but they can't see through trees I took the photo over a month ago. |
By
Will Collette
Despite
the best of plans by the Charlestown Police Department – and the premature
and totally false report from the ever-accurate Charlestown
Citizens Alliance (CCA Party) website - Charlestown’s long-anticipated red-light cameras are not operating.
Charlestown's official website is also running the wrong information.
The
camera units, covering Route One north and south at the intersections of East
Beach and West Beach Roads, were supposed to go on line on October 24, with
warning notices sent to violations. The system was supposed to go fully
operational – with $85 tickets issued to violators – on November 9.
I
noticed that there were two problems with the system – one was tree branches
blocking the view of at least one unit and the other was the lack of permanent
warning signs at the approach to each of the covered intersections. So I asked
CPD Chief Jeff Allen if indeed the system had gone live and, if so, what the
preliminary results are.
Here’s
his response:
“Will,The cameras are not up and running yet. You are correct no signs and pruning needed. “
For
details on how the system will work, including projections on the number of
motorists who may be on the
receiving end of those $85 tickets, click
here.
When
the tickets start getting issued, I expect some minor uproar. Personally, I
think the cameras are a great idea, but the CCA
Party published a flood of negative (including some pretty wacky) comments
on their official website when then CPD Chief Jack Shippee first floated the
idea.
If
you think these red light cameras are a bad idea, Charlestown elected just the right guy for you as its new state Representative.
I’m talking about Flake Bilippi who advertises
himself as a Constitutional lawyer. He seems to like to represent people
who think they have the right to do reckless and dangerous things such as
brandish firearms in public or advocate rebellion by military personnel and
police. I’m not making this up.
Since
he doesn’t have a State House contact point yet, you can contact him at
his home could be in Providence, Lincoln or Block Island, depending on which official
document you find. Only one of those muncipalities is actually in the 36th House District, by the way.
Here's his address and phone number from his Massachusetts bar license:
