Staff photo / David Skolnick Maggy Lorenzi of East Midlothian Boulevard says she supports Youngstown having speed cameras in school zones, but signs need to better reflect the times of enforcement.

YOUNGSTOWN — Almost 2,000 people have received citations since the city implemented its program to catch speeders in school zones using unmanned cameras.

The program began in 11 school zones Feb. 21 with another four school zones currently in a warning period until citations start getting issued there on April 13.

The cameras have resulted in 1,987 civil citations, said Lt. Robert Gentile, head of Youngstown police’s accident investigation and traffic unit.

The program was the topic of a town hall meeting Tuesday at the Jewish Community Center. About 25 residents attended.

It also was mentioned at the meeting for the first time in public that the city won’t give citations unless someone exceeds the speed limit by at least 11 mph in school zones.

That has always been the case, Gentile said.

But city officials had previously discussed citations being issued for those going at least 6 mph over the limit in school zones from the start of class until 6 p.m. on school days.

Gentile said the city “never likes to put that out” about citations issued for those going 11 mph over the limit, rather than 6 mph over it. But Jason Friedberg, vice president of sales for Blue Line Solutions, the company that installed the cameras and handling the program, disclosed that detail at Tuesday’s meeting.

City council approved legislation in November that permits citations for those going at least 6 mph.

Law Director Jeff Limbian said that is the minimum limit for issuing citations from unmanned cameras in school zones as set by the state.

“Youngstown went ever further to go 11 mph over the limit,” he said.

But that’s not an invitation to speed in school zones, Limbian said.

Nicholas Serra of South Hazelwood Avenue said he lives within a quarter mile of six speed cameras and received a warning in the mail during the month before the citations started being issued.

“I’m surrounded by speed cameras,” he said. “I might slip up and do 31 mph in a school zone. I don’t fly through those school zones. I’m going to get a ticket. It’s a little crazy to me. I understand the priority of keeping kids safe, but limit the cameras to during school hours” when kids are going to and leaving school buildings and not until 6 p.m.”

So far, about 95 to 98 percent of the citations issued, Gentile said, were during times when the speed limit is reduced to 20 mph as kids are heading to and leaving class for the day.

The cameras are off on days when school isn’t in session such as weekends, holidays and when classes are canceled for bad weather, Gentile said.

Police Chief Carl Davis said the city had discussed implementing the school zone cameras with Blue Line for two years and numerous studies were done to show the need for them as people were ignoring the speed limit in those areas posing a danger to children.

Derrick McDowell of Genesee Drive said: “People want our streets safe,” but after the city and Blue Line discussed the program for two years, there are still many questions unanswered such as what specifically will the city do with the money collected, why aren’t there flashing lights at every school zone yet and why hasn’t the city done more to publicize the program.

Maggy Lorenzi of East Midlothian Boulevard also said she supports the program, but the signs need to be more clear about enforcement times.

Those exceeding the limit by at least 11mph between the opening of the schools until 6 p.m. on days with classes get cited by the cameras.

Motorists caught going at least 11 mph over the speed limit and up to 14 mph over it face a civil penalty of $100. Those going 15 to 20 mph over the limit face a $125 penalty and those traveling faster than 20 mph over the limit face a $150 penalty. They do not get points on their driving record for the citations.

The city gets 65 percent of the money collected from speed citations with Blue Line, a Chattanooga, Tenn., company, receiving the remaining 35 percent.

Under state law that restricts the use of speed cameras, Youngstown will be able to use its share of the fines only for school safety resources, such as improvements to school zones and crosswalks near those buildings. But city officials are still considering specific options for how to spend the revenue.

During the two hours in the morning as kids are going to school, and the two hours when they leave, the speed limit in those zones is 20 mph. In between and after school ends, the speed limit is between 25 and 35 mph, depending on the location.

The existing locations with unmanned speed cameras are: Chaney High School on South Hazelwood Avenue, East High School on Bennington Avenue and on East High Avenue, Kirkmere Elementary School on Kirk Road, Rayen Early College Middle School on Williamson Avenue, St. Christine School on Schenley Avenue, Stambaugh Charter Academy on South Hazelwood Avenue, Valley Christian on Southern Boulevard, Volney Rogers Elementary on South Schenley Avenue, Woodrow Wilson Alternative School on Gibson Avenue and on East Indianola Avenue.

They’ve been used since Feb. 21.

The city started a 30-day warning period on March 13 for four other school zones. Fines begin in those zones April 13.

They are: Horizon Science Academy on Southern Boulevard, Chaney High School on Overlook Drive; Chaney Middle School on South Schenley Avenue and Summit Academy on Oakwood Avenue.