Answering Crossing Questions

In this week's Herald, Sunny Schubert asks "Where did those pedestrian crosswalk signs come from?" Actually, the ped signs at Maywood Park, on Nichols for Maywood School, on Schluter for Winnequah School have been used for about a year or so - longer for some of the locations. The newest ped sign is located on Winnequah Road at Healy Lane.

I requested the installation of that last sign (and the mayor agreed and directed its installation) because of the large number of peds, especially young kids, walking across the street to ball games at Emily Derer Field. That field is very heavily used especially in late spring and early summer. Since the sign went up I have personally observed cars actually stopping for pedestrians crossing the street!

I am aware of one (persistent) complaint from a dedicated walker who has been squeezed by cars as she walks along the road in that area (there may be other complaints, but I have not heard them). Sidewalks would be a good idea in that vicinity (the one along nearby Healy Lane has proven immensely popular), but that does not seem likely anytime soon.

Walkers could step behind the curb for a moment to let cars pass - not ideal - but it's trade off that improves safety for far more people, including lots of youngsters. When I bike through there, I either slow down to let vehicles get ahead of me or move over to the middle of the lane - briefly - if I am far enough ahead of following traffic to do it safely. Not ideal, but not a big deal either.

Sunny also had the rotten luck to send her column off to the printer stating there was no crosswalk at the Winnequah/Healy location just as the city laid down the crosswalk markings early this week. She also asked about conflicts with snowplows. The signs are removed in winter so snowplowing is not an issue.

Budget questions

Sunny also notes the city's recent acquisition of $165,000 to buy a building across from the high school while at the same time "asking" all its employees - including the police - to take an unpaid day off to close a $75,000 budget gap.

She tartly suggests, "Perhaps some city honcho would care to communicate why there IS money to buy a dumpy building, but there ISN'T money to pay city employees...". Good question. Basically, the acquisition is a capital expenditure and the money to pay salaries is from the operating budget. We could not take the $165,000 from capital funds and apply it to the operating budget without violating state law on levy limits.

By the way, that land purchase is part of a long-term and much need redevelopment goal. We bought the building because it is dumpy and in a block that badly needs a do over. Nonetheless, her basic point about communication - or lack of same - is well taken.

In particular, the city administration could use a short press release to more clearly and succinctly tell the residents and employees the reasons for the shortfall and how much money will be saved from the furloughs.

Let me be clear, no one is hiding anything; this has all been discussed at city council and/or finance committee meetings, but communication could have been better both to the public and to staff. When you are involved in this stuff up to the top of your waders, it is easy to forget that almost no one else is following it that closely. On the other hand, the Herald did report:

According to City Administrator Pat Marsh, the deficit was projected at roughly $75,000 halfway through the year. At that point, the city instituted a hiring ban, including not replacing a position at dispatch, and shifted some expenditures from the general fund to the water utility. At that point, said Marsh, the deficit was still projected between $10,000 and $15,000, which will be made up through furloughs of city employees. Marsh stressed that the city is continually evaluating the situation and looking at other areas for potential savings.

The shortfall is real and it is due to falling revenue and not over-spending the budget. Primary sources of the shortfall, all related to the staggering economy, are a near disappearance of interest income, issuance of very few building permits, dropping community center income, and dropping room tax revenues (still seems like I am forgetting something). A shortfall in outdoor pool income is one that can't be blamed on the economy, but instead is due to the cool summer weather.

As for Sunny's dog vomit fungus.....gee, thanks for sharing!