Woodstock Approves Resolution Seeking Court Jurisdiction On I-575

WOODSTOCK, GA -- After years of debate and delays, the city of Woodstock has finally overcome a hurdle in getting its Municipal Court to handle tickets written along its stretch of Interstate 575.

Council members unanimously voted to approve a resolution requesting state legislators to reconsider a restriction imposed upon the city when it annexed I-575 between the Cobb County line and the northernmost limits into the city in 2011.

This restriction does not grant the city's Municipal Court jurisdiction over tickets written along the interstate, and instead funnels them through the Cherokee County State Court system.

This caveat forces officers in the city to make the drive to Canton when motorists have to appear in court for tickets, which cuts into an officer's time and city resources.

The cities of Canton, Ball Ground and Holly Springs, all of which have portions of I-575 that are within their respective boundaries, do not have such a restriction imposed upon its operations.

Woodstock has kicked around this issue for the last several years, but has been stymied over the resolution due to divisions on the council. In the past, at least two council members -- Liz Baxter and Warren Johnson -- have expressed concerns and opposition to the proposal.

Johnson previously said he was concerned this could open the door to Woodstock officers running speed traps on I-575. However, before that could happen, Woodstock would have to apply for a radar permit with the Georgia Department of Transportation. GDOT would have to grant the permit, and the council members would have to approve a resolution accepting that permit.

On Monday before begrudgingly voting for the resolution, Johnson brought up another question to chew on: would approving the resolution override the will of the people when it rejected a referendum asking if Woodstock's corporate boundaries should be extended to include right of way along I-575?

The referendum went before Cherokee County voters in 1996, and was rejected 20,596 to 15,360, said Jennifer Akins, assistant supervisor of elections and voter registration.

While the measure was defeated, City Manager Jeff Moon added that question is now moot, as the state legislature approved the annexation 15 years later.

Johnson also said he wanted to make sure the referendum didn't address Municipal Court jurisdiction, to which Mayor Donnie Henriques replied that the ballot question only referred to annexation.

Council member Tracy Collins didn't hold back her frustrations with Johnson, adding she felt the issue has become a "moving target" for the Ward 1 representative.

She pressed Johnson and asked if he was OK with the police department spending tens of thousands of dollars each year on trips officers have to make to Canton for State Court proceedings.

“You are the hold up," she said. "You are willing for us to pay $50,000 in overtime to send officers to Canton because something (former Woodstock Mayor) Bill Dewrell has dreamed up.”

In the last 12 months, the Woodstock Police Department has responded to about 2,400 incidents or issues such as accidents, stranded motorists or roadway obstructions on I-575, Police Chief Cal Moss said.

These responses accounted for between 1.25 and 1.5 full time officer's time at an annual cost of about $60,446.

Johnson said his yes vote on the resolution would be based on the city not "undoing" something voters already had their say on.

Johnson told Patch late Tuesday evening that his concerns were alleviated when he obtained the actual wording of the referendum on the 1996 ballot.

"Since the municipal court jurisdiction was not part of the referendum I am comfortable that we are not going against a previously voted on issue, and I am willing to support Woodstock's request for municipal court jurisdiction on I-575," he said. "As with all votes, I considered all aspects of the issue before making my decision. My vote is not something that I take lightly and I believe that it is my duty to make the best decision I can on behalf of my constituents."

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