LTE – Harry Joles – 1-20-2021
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
I’m Disappointed
The last village of Boyceville meeting involved taking action on an abbreviated “SRTS” agenda item that affects our kids safety. If you don’t recognize “SRTS” it’s an acronym that means Safe Route To School. It’s very clear that through either intent or neglect the parties affected weren’t properly notified. There is state law in the “open meeting law” that specifically states “reasonableness” in notifying the public on issues involving multiple parties. There are five blocks worth of parties affected. They should have been given a chance to speak. The agenda item read; Discuss “SRTS” (with possible action)”. I questioned a board member after the meeting who didn’t know what “SRTS” meant even after their discussions. I believe our elected officials can discuss but shouldn’t take action when input is curtailed.
For a year the village of Boyceville has maintained the “Safe Route To School” concerning snow removal. The village applied for Federal Funds (around $300,000) to provide a sidewalk and crossing so that the kids on the south side could safely cross the highway and have a route that kept them from walking in the street. They had to commit to and designate this route to receive funds. It was on behalf of our community and made by our board. Inherent in the request for funds was the responsibility and promise of a safe route for our kids.
Its nice press for the board to provide funds through federal tax grants and to profess how the village is making our kids safer. Now through an abbreviated agenda, one that wasn’t published in our paper they look to pass the responsibility off. They rationalize this by treating it as any other sidewalk, which it isn’t. This was federal tax dollars to correct a dangerous situation. They made it special. The many landowners are not obligated to shovel it (within 24 hours) as you can see below.
Most communities have ordinances requiring snow removal from sidewalks 24 hours after a snowstorm. If after that time you are not in compliance you can be fined or charged back by the municipality to do it. So, if a storm ends just before school time, and sidewalks are not shoveled, the kids usually walk in the streets because they have been plowed. The next morning it may be the same. A snow storm during the day means it may not be shoveled by morning school time. Some are very young kids and windshields can be frosted.
Interestingly, there were federal dollars spent to provide an airport which serves many “non-resident plane owners”. The village is required to plow the snow, and that’s a lot of plowing. The village spends thousands of dollars each year to mow the railroad ditches. The safe route to school for our kids stretches about 5 blocks. We have a city owned, taxpayer funded tractor and blade where one swipe cleans the sidewalk. Think how long it takes to drive a tractor 5 blocks to keep kids safe.
I think the village should revisit this issue and hear the other side. Put out a “legal” notice (agenda), on time, in the official newspaper. Make it understandable without abbreviations. These facts need to be considered. We may have a small town but let’s have a bigger perspective on what makes small towns attractive. The safety of our children is probably the biggest and a few tax dollars is a small price if a child is hurt. Only our municipality has the manpower/equipment to have these sidewalks clean before school starts each morning and fulfill the obligation they entered into. I want to believe they care.
Harry Joles,
Past Village of Boyceville board member