McKenzie leaders discuss suspending speed cameras

McKENZIE, Tenn. — Drivers in McKenzie may not have to worry much longer about a pair of traffic cameras.

That is if one City Council member’s proposal goes through.

“The traffic enforcement cameras in the city of McKenzie have been a blight on the city economically since they were put in,” City Council member David Hochreiter told WBBJ Thursday. “Why would any representative choose to let something happen to their constituents that is not legal, not truthful and just plain right dishonest?”

Hochreiter thinks the city needs to make sure their speed cameras meet state law, something the city’s mayor doesn’t believe will be a problem.

“I can certainly assure all of our citizens that we have never broken the law,” McKenzie Mayor Jill Holland said. “We do not ever intend to break the law. If the state tells us to remove the cameras, that’s something that we will do because we will always follow the law to the letter.”

Mayor Holland says the city has had the cameras since 2010 and that they’ve helped increase safety on the city’s busiest street.

“The traffic cameras as far as I’m concerned are no different for cameras in our parks to prevent vandalism or cameras in neighborhoods to prevent break-ins,” Mayor Holland said. “Of course we would always follow the law with them and with these cameras too.”

When asked for alternatives to using the speed cameras, Hochreiter suggested seeking alternatives in the budget.

“I’m not doing this as a way to take away from the police budget,” Hockreiter said. “I’m doing this on behalf of the citizens of McKenzie and the business owners who are sick and tired of this predatory practice.”