Woodstock Wants Municipal Court Jurisdiction on I-575

The city of Woodstock would like for its Municipal Court to have jurisdiction over the tickets its officers write along Interstate 575.

That’s according to a resolution presented by Police Chief Calvin Moss to the City Council during its meeting on Monday. If approved, the resolution would be submitted to the Cherokee County legislative delegation to consider carrying during the 2015 legislative session.

Currently, Woodstock police officers who write tickets along the interstate under the city’s jurisdiction waste time and taxpayer dollars by traveling to Canton, as those tickets are currently processed through both State and Superior Court, the resolution states.

Woodstock’s jurisdiction along the interstate stretches from the Cobb County line to its northernmost city limits near the Little River bridge. The Cherokee County legislative delegation via House Bill 560 allowed the city to annex that portion of the interstate in 2011.

City Manager Jeff Moon said staff would like to present the resolution asking for jurisdiction in December to the delegation when it has its annual meeting.

That meeting is scheduled to allow cities, the Cherokee County government, the Cherokee County School Board, court representatives and other groups or entities to formally communicate what local legislation they would like legislators to carry during the 2015 legislative session.

Council member Liz Baxter said she felt like the process is “in reverse,” adding she’d like to prefer to talk to the delegation before consider approving a resolution. She asked city staff to invite members of the delegation to a work session in November to further discuss the request.

“There’s no point in giving them something if they are going to deny it,” she added.

Mayor Donnie Henriques said he’s spoken to several members of the delegation, and added Sen. Brandon Beach of Alpharetta has expressed support.

“The other ones I’ve talked to....weren’t sure they knew enough about it,” he added. “That’s the whole point of addressing them (in) December.”

Unless the city takes the first step of approving the resolution, ”I don’t think we are going to get anywhere with them,” the mayor added.

Moon also noted the delegation typically likes to see resolutions come in the form of unanimous support from local jurisdictions.

Additionally, Council member Warren Johnson said he wasn’t sure if he is “to the point of being able to put my support” behind the resolution because he thought the city had a permit to run radar on the interstate.

Moss told Johnson the resolution “has nothing to do” running laser or speed detection devices on the interstate.

“We do not do that now and we will not do that in the future,” he said.

Moon reminded Johnson and the rest of the council that speed detection permits are issued by the state and the only way the city can obtain that permit is with the approval from the mayor and council.

The council voted 3-2, with council members Bud Leonard and Bob Mueller opposing, to table the resolution until its Nov. 10 meeting.

Photo credit: Patch file