The Collegedale Police Department will be getting license plate readers from Flock Group, Inc. Police Chief Jack Sapp said the company will be giving Collegedale access to one or two demo units for a period of 90 days for the department to see if buying units would be beneficial to the city. For the past year one tag reader has been used in Collegedale in a single location and has resulted in recovering seven instances of stolen automobiles or missing persons as they passed through the area, said the chief.
That camera is owned and operated by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, but if the system detects a stolen car, they have shared some of the data with the Collegedale Police. The 90-day trial will give Collegedale Police access to services and equipment from Flock. Other municipalities in the area, including Red Bank, East Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Tn. and Signal Mountain, are already using this technology, said Chief Sapp. The end goal, he said, is to find one system that works best for all communities so information can be shared. One system would give Collegedale access to data and video from all Flock cameras in the area.
The 90-day trial will have no cost to Collegedale. The cameras that are being considered for purchase will be portable units that can be moved around the city. If it is decided this would be beneficial, the equipment can be considered for the next budget.
Collegedale has also recently installed speed readers around the city.
The financial report for January, 2022 looks really good, said Finance Manager Michelle Toro. The report gives information at 58 percent through the year. She said revenue is up eight percent above the budget and expenditures are below the budgeted amount by around five percent. Revenue from the cable TV franchises will all be paid in February, she said.
Commissioner Phil Garver recognized the East Tennessee Symphony for a successful Valentine's concert that was held at the Collegedale Commons. He said that he is happy that people from all around the area have been coming to enjoy events that are taking place in Collegedale and he expects that to continue.
Two candidates that will be running in the Hamilton County primary elections came to the meeting Monday night to ask for votes. Judge Kevin Wilson has been Collegedale’s municipal judge for 32 years. He first won in 1990, and has been elected three times since then. He told the commissioners that it has been a pleasure working with them and hearing all the good things about Collegedale.
Fay Robinson, a resident of the city, is running for the school board. She said she believes in more emphasis on early education and in teaching the basics of life in addition to the traditional curriculum.