On Monday, the City Manager presented the City Commission with some daunting figures. Losses of over $40,000 in 2008, and a projected loss of $72,000 in 2009. What insidious instrument could possibly be leaching away funds from our city coffers at such an alarming rate?

If you’ve ever turned left from Scott onto Clairemont (or vice-versa) you’re well-aware of the answer. It’s the red-light camera at the intersection of Clairemont and Scott Boulevard!

According to the City Manager’s letter to the commission (page 97), this camera is the grand-daddy of all red-light cameras in the state; the very first.  Since it’s installation in 2004, there have been no reported fatalities at the intersection and the number of vehicles running the light has declined.  The ongoing problem has been that the money brought in from fines has never off-set costs.  And while those costs were once “tolerable”, the city can no longer stomach the growing cost.

The city has attempted to renegoiate contract fees, but has been unsuccessful.  So the City Manager has decided the best course of action was to take the camera down.  “Therefore, unless the City Commission wants to continue this program, we will begin steps to end the City’s current program. It is regretful that this action is necessary but given the current financial environment, it does not seem prudent to continue a program that incurs significant program costs.”

In a note to DM, the City Manager confirms that while the city commission regrets the “demise of the program”, they have gone along with the decision.  She continues, “We will retain the equipment and should the need arise in the future, we’ll have the ability to reestablish the program.”

And just like that, Decatur is now just the latest in a long line of Georgia cities that have abandoned their red-light cameras, because they were just too darn expensive.