Lawtey keeps a fraction of the total
BY MELISSA PYLE
Special to the Telegraph
Lawtey Police Chief Jerry Feltner began the Oct. 6 city council meeting with the required public hearing for the RedSpeed Camera program.
The program began in April of 2023 as a deterrent to speeding drivers and a revenue source for safety improvements.
Feltner said there was an average of 646,000 vehicles that drove through the city each month. There have been 9,977 violations issued this year alone. The revenue raised from May 21, 2023, to Aug. 21, 2025, was $772,000 dollars.
Feltner explained that all the funding does not remain in the city, breaking it down as follows:
—$170,000 to the Florida Department of Revenue.
—$26,000 for Florida Department of Law Enforcement training.
—$93,000 to the school district.
—$39,000 crossing guard salaries.
—$161,400 RedSpeed Program.
—$11,000 for mailing certified citations.
—$300,000 to Lawtey Police Department.
Feltner said of the $300,000, funds were allocated to pay magistrate Aaron Dukes $2,190 for handling hearings of disputed citations. The department purchased portable heart defibrillators for patrol vehicles, new tasers and handheld radar equipment. They also repaired a fire department door. In total, the department spent $115,631.
Chief Feltner ended the public hearing by noting they are still in need of crossing guards and encouraged people to apply.
Water system upgrades needed
CPH Engineering Consulting delivered a much-anticipated report on replacing the city’s fifty-year-old water distribution system. After much evaluation, the engineers recommended replacing the existing system that carries water throughout the city, including Lawtey Correctional Facility.
The report showed that the old system is causing an 11% loss in water for the city and rising costs for frequent repairs. The aging system, installed in 1975, has poor “looping” characteristics and undersized mains, resulting in low water flow to structures and fire hydrants.
The council’s three options were do nothing and keep patching, replace the system with a new trenchless technology, or stick with a conventional system. The engineers told the council that the best financial option is the conventional system.
The State Revolving Fund could cut the $7.4 million dollar cost by 75% with a partial grant. The city would be required to repay the remaining debt, with the annual payment projected at $70,000. This would only cover the first phase of the system replacement.
There are additional funding options, including the Rural Infrastructure Fund. CPH stressed the importance of attending the upcoming Bradford Legislative Delegation meeting to plead the city’s case for more grant funding. After the presentation, the council adopted a resolution to move forward with attaining grants for the project.
Citizen Vyunda Strong confronted the council about not attending the legislative delegation meetings. The upcoming meeting is scheduled for Oct. 23, and Strong said if they’re not going to attend, she would plead the city’s case, because the city needs grants to help fund the water system. Strong said she always attends but no Lawtey officials are there to represent the city. No council member argued her point but moved on to the next citizen comment. John Mercier approached the podium and asked the council, once again, to put up new street signs and to revisit old business at meetings.
In other business:
—council voted to approve a $1,000 cost to remove a tree that fell on a residential property.
—Councilwoman Amy Blom proposed a committee to revise the city’s charter.
—the recreation department will host Bingo Night Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. The Fall Festival/Truck of Treats will take place Oct. 31. Family Movie Nights are Nov. 8, 15 and 22.
—the recreation department delivered donated school supplies to Lawtey Elementary School.
—the next council meeting is Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.
