Goodwin says county is seeking removal of speed cameras and refunds
FORT WALTON BEACH — Okaloosa County leaders say that the speed cameras near Fort Walton Beach High School have not issued tickets to drivers for months – but the saga is not yet quite over. County leaders say there is still the question of removing the cameras – and getting refunds for people who were fined for speeding and paid tickets.
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According to County Commissioner Trey Goodwin, title searches and permit reviews confirmed that the cameras sit in a county right-of-way without proper authorization, putting the city in violation of state law. The dispute highlights growing tension over local traffic enforcement and raises questions about accountability after the unpermitted system generated over $135,000 in revenue from drivers.
Speaking at a downtown rally for gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, Goodwin said that while the cameras are no longer issuing citations, the equipment remains on site. The county has notified the city to take the system down; however, removal has been delayed as the city works with its vendor to carefully dismantle the delicate hardware. None of the government entities want to take down what they say are delicate machines and risk breaking them and having to buy them.
According to Goodwin, the cameras had collected more than $135,000 in ticket revenue. The county had asked the city to refund the money, which Goodwin said would help restore public trust. He said that if the city did not remove the equipment by the deadline, the county’s public-works department would dismantle, remove and store it. The county would then seek reimbursement for those costs.
Goodwin framed the matter as a test of accountability, saying governments should correct mistakes when they are identified. “Help us show the public that when government gets caught doing something it maybe shouldn’t have done, we do the right thing. We step up and we make it right,” Goodwin said, “That’s what government’s about. Government makes mistakes. The biggest question is what does government do about it?”
