[Adopted 9-9-1965 (Ch. 49 of the 1987 Code)]
[Amended 11-18-2015 by L.L. No. 9-2015]
The Town Justice of the Town of North Castle is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to establish a Traffic Violations Bureau in the Town of North Castle, pursuant to the provisions of Article 14-B of the General Municipal Law, to assist the Court in the disposition of offenses in relation to certain traffic violations as hereinafter prescribed.
Such Traffic Violations Bureau shall be in the charge of such person or persons and shall be open at such hours and on such days as the Justice of the Town of North Castle may designate.
Such Traffic Violations Bureau is authorized to dispose of violations of traffic laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, excepting speeding or misdemeanors or felonies, by permitting a person charged with such an offense, within the limitations above stated, to answer within a specified time at the Traffic Violations Bureau, either in person or by written power of attorney, by paying a prescribed fine and, in writing, waiving a hearing in court, pleading guilty to the charge and authorizing the person in charge of the Bureau to make such a plea and pay the fine prescribed therefor in court. Acceptance by the Traffic Violations Bureau of the prescribed fine and power of attorney shall be deemed complete satisfaction for the violations, and the violator shall be given a receipt which so states.
If a person charged with a traffic violation does not answer as hereinbefore prescribed within the specified time, the Traffic Violations Bureau shall cause a complaint to be entered against him forthwith and a warrant to be issued for his arrest and appearance before the Court.
Any persons who shall have been, within the preceding 12 months, guilty of three or more violations shall not be permitted to appear and answer to a subsequent violation at the Traffic Violations Bureau but must appear in court at a time specified by the Bureau.
The said Traffic Violations Bureau may not and shall not in any way deprive a person of the right to counsel or prevent him from exercising his right to appear in court to explain or defend any charge of a violation of a traffic law, ordinance, rule or regulation.
The said Justice of the Town of North Castle shall designate the fines to be paid for the first, second and third offense, which may be satisfied at the Traffic Violations Bureau as hereinbefore set forth, provided that such fines are within the limitations established by law or ordinance as penalties for such offenses.
The Traffic Violations Bureau shall keep a record of all violations of which each person has been guilty, whether such guilt was established in Court or in the Traffic Violations Bureau, and also a record of all fines collected and the disposition thereof. The Traffic Violations Bureau shall also perform such other or additional duties and keep such other or additional records as shall be prescribed by the Justice of the Town of North Castle and/or the Town Board of the Town of North Castle.