Red-light camera contract on hold for now; second vendor appeals City Hall contract award

The City Council appeared ready Wednesday to approve a contract with Gatso USA Inc., Beverly Mass., to install and operate red-light and speed-enforcement cameras in the city in the weeks ahead.

However, the city manager's office pulled the matter from the council agenda.

Police Department Capt. Steve O'Konek, who has been overseeing the camera project for the city, said Wednesday afternoon that the contract was pulled for now because a second camera vendor who had bid on the project was appealing the city's decision to award the contract to Gatso.

The vendor appealing the bid award is Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.

According to Redflex's Web site, Redflex operates camera systems for the Iowa cities of Davenport, Council Bluffs, Clive and Sioux City. In recent months, those were the only four jurisdictions in Iowa with a camera program or contemplating one.