West Valley's contract with the operator of the controversial PhotoCop is being renegotiated over a provision that ties profits to the number of citations issued.
"It's a question of appearance more than anything," said City Manager John Patterson, noting that critics of the photo-radar system often cite the provision as cause for concern.Signed on Aug. 1, 1991, the existing one-year contract guarantees the PhotoCop firm - Traffic Monitoring Technologies-Southwest Inc. - between $16.50 and $25 for every citation resulting in fines.
The contract has an automatic annual renewal clause that takes effect each Aug. 1 unless either party takes steps to withdraw from the agreement. West Valley City has formally notified the Arizona-based PhotoCop provider of its intention to sever the contract for the purpose of renegotiating terms.
Patterson is proposing that PhotoCop fees be based on a set monthly amount to be determined in negotiations. "We would have a minimum and maximum figure to protect the city on the low end and (the company) on the high end."
PhotoCop is the registered trade name of the Arizona company's photo-radar technology. The system consists of a an unmarked vehicle equipped with a camera that is triggered by a radar calibrated to the speed limit.
Photographs show the faces of the drivers and the license plates of speeding cars. Unrecognizable pictures are supposed to be purged and not used to issue citations.
During its first nine months in operation, PhotoCop has generated $91,350 in fines and forfeitures. Patterson said all of that money was paid to the PhotoCop firm and the courts.
"The appearance is that West Valley is out there to make money with photo radar, and that just isn't the case. To date, the city hasn't received a nickel from it," he said.
A contract based on a monthly fee probably would produce some revenues for the city, but Patterson insists money isn't the motive for seeking a change.
"Much of the concern about PhotoCop from the general public and at the Legislature has been due to the view that citations were issued for profit rather than public safety. We're looking to change that perception."
Asked if the city would drop PhotoCop if the company refuses to change the fee provision, Patterson said the answer will depend on the negotiations.
Meanwhile, the company's former Utah representative, David Campbell, confirmed last week that he has severed his relationship with the PhotoCop provider. Campbell, a former West Valley police chief and Salt Lake City commissioner, was recently named city manager of Draper.