The Alexander City Council adopted an ordinance that increases the fine for speeding. Another ordinance, establishing a curfew for minors, received a first reading.
Before voting on the “Safe Driving Ordinance” City Attorney Chris Madison explained the changes made to the previous ordinance and how writing tickets under a city ordinance, instead of the state speeding law, benefits Alexander.
“So what this is, is, there's an ordinance in place that actually increases the fines for that and it defines the unsafe driving more clearly,” Madison said. “What happens is the officer can write it (speeding ticket) as a city ordinance violation or they can write it as a state traffic violation. If they write it as a city ordinance violation, (and) the court defines guilty, more money stays with the city. If they do it as a state traffic violation, the city gets money from it, but other money goes to the state and that one (ticket) goes on your driving record where the city ordinance is kind of (an) option to be able to keep it here without necessarily affecting someone's driving records.”
Under the proposed Safe Driving Ordinance anyone found guilty of operating, “[A] motor vehicle in an unsafe manner shall … be subject to a fine not less than ... one-hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) and not to exceed three-hundred dollars ($300.00).”
The ordinance was adopted in a unanimous vote during the April 21 council meeting. Council members voted to override the required three public readings to enact the ordinance immediately. That was not the case with the curfew ordinance.
A second ordinance, establishing a city curfew, received a first reading, rather than being adopted immediately. Madison asked for time to make some formatting changes. The ordinance was submitted by Police Chief Timothy Preator.
“I have several phone calls and concerns about the teenagers and the kids,” City Mayor Crystal Herrmann said. “I think it'll help, especially in our subdivision Meadow's Edge, because we can get people coming late at night. We've had homes, they, people running doorbells.”
The proposed ordinance establishing a juvenile curfew sets the age of a minor as anyone who has not reached the age of 18 years old. The time of curfew will be set, ”[D]uring the period ending at 5:00 A.M. and beginning (a) At 12:00 Midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, and (b) 11:00 P.M. on all other nights.”
Exceptions include, “(a) When accompanied by a parent of such minor. (b) When accompanied by an adult, at least 21 years of age, who is not the parent and who is authorized by a parent of such minor, … (c) When engaging in the duties of bona fide employment or traveling directly, without undue delay or detour from home to the place of employment, or from the place of employment to the home. (d) When the minor is in a motor vehicle for the purpose of interstate travel, either through, beginning or ending in the City of Alexander, Arkansas.”
The ordinance is expected to be adopted at the May council meeting.
Also at the April 21 council meeting;
Announcements
Saline County Library hosting Reading Challenge,
The Reading Challenge will be held in the city park Saturday, May 10 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 Noon. There will also be bounce houses, a petting zoo and other activities.
Herrmann also reported the Saline County Library box is still Out of Order. The computerized box is in front of city hall and can be used to request and receive books and other items from the Saline County Library System.
Unfortunately, like all things that are run by computer, it needs an upgrade. Herrmann said there’s only one company in the United States that can do the repair. The mayor said if the existing box can’t be upgraded library officials are considering installing a new unit.
Monthly food bank
The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, May 19, at 6:00 pm in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). Meetings are open to the public.
City of Alexander Master Development Plan Submitted to Little Rock for approval April, 2023
Time Elapsed
2 years, 2 weeks, 2 days
Is this speed limit ticketing even legal???
ReplyDeleteSo, every police officer that's ever written a speeding ticket is breaking the law. How?
ReplyDeleteNO, the fact the city is keeping the money from the fines.
DeleteHow do you think cities and counties fund the court system? Alexander has its own court, judge and a city prosecutor. Not to mention the police department. All that requires money. Also, the city council relies on its own attorney to keep the city legal. I doubt hew would amend an existing ordinance that is illegal. Where did you think the fine money went?
Delete