By Lee Weyhrich
CLAY — The Clay City Council on Monday further discussed the possibility of adding cameras at the city’s major intersections.
Councilman Ricky Baker said cameras could be installed for less than $40,000.
“We’re looking at putting cameras at the four main intersections,” Baker said. “These would not be for tickets, they’d be for safety.”
The cameras would have a high enough definition that faces could be seen and license plates could be read. Baker once again said that these cameras would not be used for the issuing of traffic tickets.
“This would be for public safety, to look at wrecks and also if there’s any crimes in Clay,” he said. “There’s really only four ways to get in and out of Clay.”
The city has not made definite plans regarding the cameras.
The city of Center Point in 2011 placed traffic cameras at several intersections after state legislation allowed it. In 2012 a lawsuit was filed over the cameras, claiming the ordinance initiating the enforcement process was invalid due to the procedure for appeal for issued tickets was unconstitutional. The use of the cameras was suspended the same year after the lawsuit was filed.
The council is also looking into several improvements at Bryant Park. The playground has become unsafe and many facilities are in a state of disrepair. The council wants to first restore the adult softball field for public use. The goal is to eventually put the park back in a condition Clay residents can be proud of.
Another thing the council is looking into is the addition of a dog park either at Bryant Park or at Cosby Lake Park. According to City Manager Ronnie Dixon, trees would need to be cleared at the lake to make room for a dog park, but the addition of a dog park at Bryant Park would be an easy fix.
Things are improving every year for the Clay Public Library, Library Director Karen Moody reported Monday. In 2013, 14,653 people used the library and 26,738 items were checked out. The library received 169 new memberships and had 1,169 people attend special programs throughout the year. Computer use was up to 2,497 people.