WELLINGTON: CONTRACT OK’D FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS
Village also settles on designer of new Greenbriar Park.
WELLINGTON — The village council approved a pair of projects Tuesday night that will boost safety and provide new recreational opportunities for residents.
As part of its consent agenda, the council awarded contracts of $463,000 to Vetted Security Solutions for an automated license plate reader system, and $408,000 to Kimley-Horn and Associates to design the village’s new Greenbriar Park.
Money for the license plate reader system, which officials say could help solve and prevent crimes, will come from seized and forfeited assets.
Wellington has more than $360,000 available in Law Enforcement Trust Fund cash and received the necessary approval to spend it July 10 in a 4-0 council vote. Councilman Michael Napoleone was absent from that meeting.
The cameras capture license plate images, which are sent to the national Law Enforcement Archival Reporting Network database that can be searched by law enforcement agencies. The system also sends alerts to deputies when a license plate is flagged as reported stolen or used in a crime.
“We’re going to bring license plate readers to the village of Wellington to further increase safety, and put anyone on notice that if they think they’re going to come to the village of Wellington and continue to participate in burglaries and checking for unlocked cars, that we’re doing everything we can to apprehend you and anyone that is working with you,” councilman John McGovern said.
Law enforcement officials have seen some success with similar systems. In Palm Beach Gardens in 2016, police officers arrested a man after a license-plate reader set up on a trailer at the intersection of PGA and RCA boulevards alerted authorities to a stolen Maserati.
Meanwhile, plans for Greenbriar Park include four multi-purpose fields to the east of the existing dog park, with two stormwater areas, additional parking and a facility with restrooms and concessions. The park’s sand volleyball court will remain.
The village’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board approved the project in December as well as another major project to renovate Community Park. Money for both projects will come from a sales tax increase approved by Palm Beach County voters in 2016.
“This council is committed to ensuring that we have stateof-the-art parks and recreation facilities,” McGovern said. “It has come to our attention over time that there would be need for additional fields and additional field complexes for many sports, rugby and lacrosse in particular. Tonight, significant authorization was given to begin that process.”
Greenbriar Park will get more parking and keep its sand volleyball court.