SMITHVILLE, Ohio — Drivers like Smithville resident Mystica Wenger are paying attention to their speed after the installation of speed cameras.
Wenger said she received two tickets from the cameras in November within a span of 30 minutes.
"I travel Smithville a lot," she said. "My kids attend Smithville. One day, I received two violations in the mail with the photo-enforced system."
The Village of Smithville installed three sets of cameras in school zones along State Route 585, West Prospect and North Summit streets. The village said the cameras are only active when the lights on the school zone signs are flashing.
Residents like Wenger said they had no warning.
"We didn't have a choice on that," she said. "They were installed without our consent, our opinions or our feelings."
There's a new House bill trying to prevent other communities from receiving similar surprises. House Bill 843 would require villages and cities to have voter approval before ever installing speed cameras.
State Rep. Meredith Craig, the bill's sponsor, said she received numerous complaints from Smithville residents and business owners. If the bill passes, she hopes it fosters better communication between local leaders and the people they serve.
"You serve your residents," she said. "You serve your business owners. Ask for their input."
Craig said the bill would also help local businesses like The Carpenter's Cup. Co-owner Sara Hubacher said some of the coffee shop's loyal customers are staying away because of the cameras.
"It's like, 'I'm not going to pay $150 for a cup of coffee,'" she said. "So, they don't want to come in, and they've told us they aren't coming back."
Hubacher said this was the second blow to Smithville businesses after the construction of two roundabouts last summer hurt foot traffic.
"Last summer, when they did the roundabouts," she said, "it took our business down by 30%. It hasn't come up since."
In an email to News 5, the Smithville mayor and chief of police said the cameras were installed after years of accidents and speeding near school zones and have reduced speeding by 97%. The cameras have also generated $190,723.33, which is earmarked for the hiring of more school resource officers.
The email adds the village was surprised opponents never asked about the program's safety effectiveness.
As Craig's bill moves through the House, Wenger is hopeful it will change things.
"That would be nice if we had a voice," she said.
According to the Wayne County Board of Elections, a petition with 37 signatures asking voters to repeal the speed cameras was submitted. The village has until Aug. 3 to certify the ordinance.
