The City Commission of Margate on April 16 approved an ordinance authorizing the installation and use of speed detection systems in school zones, after a lengthy public hearing and sharp debate over safety, enforcement and revenue.

The ordinance amends Chapter 33 (Police and Law Enforcement Offences) by adding a new section titled "Speed Detection Systems in School Zones," setting definitions, a safety-need determination process, a local hearing officer for appeals, and implementation procedures. The text presented at the meeting contemplated systems operating during school hours when lights are flashing and included a minimum threshold for citation (discussed in the meeting as roughly 10–11 miles per hour over the posted school-zone limit).

Vice Mayor Serio, who advocated for the measure, framed it as a safety tool and said the goal is to change driver behavior and reduce dangerous speeding. "The number 1 goal is safety," he told the commission, adding that the cameras would target higher-speed violations and not minor, one-mile-per-hour exceedances: "You're not gonna get a ticket for going 1 mile an hour over." He cited data submitted by proponents showing large reductions in repeat speeding at pilot locations in other Florida cities.

Commissioners and members of the public disagreed sharply on the ordinance's purpose and likely effects. Commissioner Simone said she was "not for this at all," arguing the measures were effectively revenue-generating and that driver awareness, signage and police presence were preferable. Several public speakers, including Jonathan Krawcheck and Tracy Van Winkle, said they opposed the cameras and called them a "money grab," citing examples from other jurisdictions. Supporters said cameras change driver behavior and can fund additional public-safety investments.

The commission initially considered a motion to table the item; the table motion passed on a 2–3 vote but the body then voted on the original motion to approve the ordinance. The final roll call on the motion to approve the ordinance was: Commissioners Casciano, Vice Mayor Serio and Mayor Schwartz voted yes; Commissioners Rosano and Simone voted no. The ordinance therefore passed on second reading and will permit the city to negotiate with vendors and implement systems in school zones, subject to contract terms and operational rules.

City staff and commissioners emphasized that adopting the ordinance simply authorizes the legal framework for systems; any installation, vendor selection, hours of operation and citation thresholds will be decided later through contracts and administrative process. Several commissioners said they expect staff to negotiate terms that limit operation to school hours and to protect residents from excessive enforcement during non-school periods. Public comment and several commissioners urged strict controls over hours of operation, threshold speeds for citations, and strong transparency in vendor contracts.

The ordinance includes an appeal process to a local hearing officer for disputed citations. It also requires a study or demonstration of a safety need before deployment at a given school zone, and states that revenues from citations be used for public safety purposes as allowed by state law.

No vendor was selected at the meeting. Commissioners said they will weigh pilot program results from other cities and discuss operational parameters before any camera activation.