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Parma plans to solicit bids for a traffic camera contract in the coming months after their contract with RedFlex expired.

(Plain Dealer file)

PARMA, Ohio -- Parma city officials say allegations of public corruption against the company that supplies the city's traffic cameras has nothing to do with the city's plans to consider changing vendors.

Parma is preparing to solicit bids from other traffic camera vendors at the same time the FBI is investigating officials from their current supplier, Australia-based Redflex Traffic Systems, for bribing public officials in Ohio.

Parma Safety Director Michael O'Malley, who took his post in June, said the decision to consider other vendors is solely based on affordability. The city had a contract with Redflex that expired in July 2014. Since then, they've been on a month-by-month contract with Redflex.

"If this is the most efficient company, we'll continue to use them," O'Malley said of Redflex.

O'Malley said in an interview that he wasn't very familiar with the recent allegations against Redflex officials. The company first came under fire in 2010 when the Chicago Tribune uncovered a bribery scheme between a company consultant and a Chicago transportation official.

The consultant, Marty O'Malley, pleaded guilty in December to funneling $2 million to city worker John Bills from 2004-12 in exchange for a contract with the city.

Parma officials said RedFlex reached out to them amid that investigation, though they couldn't find a record of the memo.

A second wave of controversy hit closer to home last month, when the former CEO of Redflex pleaded guilty to bribing officials in two Ohio cities. Karen L. Finley admitted in federal court June 19 that she funneled campaign contributions through Redflex to public officials in Cincinnati and Columbus.

Finley made a $20,000 contribution in 2011 to the campaign of Columbus City Council President Andrew Ginther to keep the cameras running there, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

The FBI is still investigating the circumstances surrounding the Cincinnati bribery allegations.

Both Michael O'Malley and Cardman said Redflex hasn't contacted them in light of the investigations in Ohio. But that hasn't shaken their confidence in the company.

"That is not about Redflex's current situation, which has nothing to do with us," said Jeannie Roberts, director of communications for Parma, "We just want the best contract for our city."

Parma's speed cameras are only in school zones, and only operate during school hours. Drivers caught going up to 9 mph over the speed limit are fined $100. Drivers who travel 10 mph or more over the speed limit are sent a $200 ticket.

Parma is one of the only Ohio cities still using cameras after a law was passed in December that requires police officers to be stationed alongside traffic cameras. Neighboring Parma Heights took down all but one of its cameras in March.

Parma has used the police officer oversight model from the start, and officials are pleased with the program's outcome. The cameras have proved lucrative, raking in more than $2.6 million over from over 30,000 speeders in the past four years.

From fall 2011 through spring 2012, the city collected over $876,600 from speeders caught by the cameras. The revenue decreased slightly over the next two years, with about $727,900 from fall 2012 to spring 2013 and $637,800 from fall 2013 to spring 2014.

Data from the first two years of the traffic camera program was not available upon request.

On average, only four percent of people issued tickets appeal them in court. While traffic cameras are notorious for making motorists angry, Victoria Cardman, the program's coordinator, said the officer presence and the opportunity for a fair trial has kept complaints to a minimum.

Officials said the bidding procedures would start soon, but didn't have a specific timeline for the process.