Smithville residents vote today on whether to repeal school zone speed cameras near three schools

Smithville residents are heading to the polls today to vote on whether to repeal school zone speed cameras installed near three area schools.

The Village of Smithville installed three sets of speed cameras in its school zones along State Route 585, West Prospect Street and North Summit Street. The cameras were installed in fall 2025 and are only active when the lights on the school zone are flashing, according to the village.

In a July email, Smithville's mayor and chief of police said crashes have been reduced by 97% since the cameras were installed. As of July, the mayor and chief of police said the cameras had generated over $190,000 in revenue.

The village did not respond to a request for comment or updated citation and revenue numbers before publication.

Not everyone has welcomed the cameras. Sara Hubacher, co-owner of Smithville business The Carpenter's Cup, said the cameras have hurt her business, with loyal customers refusing to visit out of fear of receiving a speeding ticket.

"It's like 'I'm not going to pay $150 for a cup of coffee,' so they don't want to come in, and they've told us they aren't coming back," Hubacher said.

Smithville resident Matt Miller is one of several drivers who have received a citation. He said the cameras create more confusion than safety and that he plans to vote to repeal them.

"I think in certain instances they can be a good thing to have, but in this instance, I feel like it's not doing the public justice," he said. "It's just trying to take a little bit of money off the top, and that little bit of money off the top is actually a pretty significant amount."

Local state Representative Meredith Craig has sponsored House Bill 843. If passed, it would require villages and cities to obtain voter approval before installing speed cameras.

According to the Ohio Legislature's website, House Bill 843 has been introduced and assigned to committee but has not yet received a vote.