|
|
|
 Staff photo/Katie Yantis: A truck dumps dirt along the Miami and Erie Canal towpath where it crosses Ohio 66. The project will make it easier for those using the towpath to cross Ohio 66.
By KATIE YANTIS
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Hiker, bikers and walkers in the region will notice a
difference in a few sections of the Miami and Erie Canal towpath trail
starting this week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
BOE To Study Bridge |
|
|
|
Thursday, 11 June 2009 |
By ANGELA WEAVER
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — The St. Marys Board of Education adopted a resolution during its meeting Wednesday night to engage in a study to investigate the construction of a pedestrian-bicycle bridge to the site of the new grades six-to-12 building.
Business Manager Kurt Kuffner said the study would be done by Poggemeyer Design Group Inc. at a cost of $3,750.
“It would include a two-hour open house public involvement meeting,” Kuffner said.
The services the survey would obtain, according to a document released by Poggemeyer, available student travel data and CAD site plans of the new school from the City Schools; discuss pedestrian trip generators and the most desirable routes with City School officials; discuss current and planned pedestrian facilities with the city; prepare a study area base map form available GIS aerial mapping; conceptually design alignments for each alternative corridor using actual design criteria with specific attention to high-cost features, such as handicapped-accessible grades and the skew of new bridges over U.S. 33; review each alternative for engineering issues, right-of-way availability, environmental issues and traffic; develop construction cost estimates useful for future preliminary grant applications; meet with City School officials to present preliminary alternatives; conduct one two-hour open house public involvement meeting to present preliminary alternatives and seek public input; assist City Schools with study related questions when this fall’s transportation survey is being written; provide ongoing advice to the City Schools on new developments in federal and state programs that might provide potential funding for construction.
Kuffner said the study would take between four and six weeks to complete.
“As soon as we get the go-ahead, they’re ready to start working,” he said.
Once the survey has been completed, Superintendent Mary Riepenhoff said the board would then assign a committee to continue working, along with the support from the city of St. Marys and community people to see what the options are.
She also noted that local families will receive a survey this fall asking their intentions of getting their child to and from school during the 2010 school year, so that Transportation Supervisor Dan Grothause can develop bus routes and pick up sites.
St. Marys resident Bud Fitzgerald expressed his support for the building of the bridge to the board.
“I can think of a thousand reasons why we need a bridge, each one of them being a student, three being my grandchildren,” he said. “They need a safe passageway to get there.”
Fitzgerald noted that, most likely, not all students will be bused to and from the new site.
“A number of them don’t make the bus, some stay after school for academic, athletic reasons,” he said, calling the overpass not realistically safe for any pedestrian traffic. “I think we need a walking bridge out there.”
Board members also:
• Heard concerns from area residents Sandy Dove, Bill Kellermeyer and Bob Valentine in regards to a policy in bold text noted on the meeting’s agenda, which are the following lines:
“The Board will not hear personal opinions about school personnel nor against any person connected with the school system. Other means are provided for Board consideration and disposition of legitimate complaints involving individuals” and “Attendees must register their intention to participate in the public portion of the meeting upon their arrival at the meeting. All statements should be directed to the presiding officer; no person may address or question Board members individually.”
Board President Ralph Wiley noted that the text, which is part of the board’s public participation policy and is available online at the district’s Web site as well as the St. Marys Community Public Library, was not recently added.
“I encourage communication,” Wiley said, noting a recent past meeting. “There was a lot of dialogue amongst the members of the audience — that needs to be told to the board.”
Wiley encouraged residents to e-mail him, noting his e-mail address is also on the district’s Web site, or to call him.
“You should address concerns with the staff member, principal, administrators and then bring it to the board,” he said. “It should start at the appropriate level.”
Kellermeyer also noted the questioned event involving an advisory board that requested to be present at a district-parent meeting.
“It’s a shame the school district as a whole has chose to conduct itself with other people,” he said. “I would like to know what the school system is going to do when advising these individuals.”
During the meeting, Riepenhoff also read a letter from the district’s attorney, James K. Stucko Jr, in regards to the question of advocate groups attending district-parent meetings, in which Stucko writes “such advocates are not automatically permitted to attend meetings with you, administrators or the board merely because a parent wishes that they be in attendance. The meeting with you, an administrator, or the board and a parent is a meeting that the district has control over in terms of time, place and attendees. Thus, a parent may only invite a third party if the attendance of the third party is acceptable to the district.”
Riepenhoff also said that the information said during the meeting could be shared outside the meeting if the parent wishes to do so with an advocacy group.
Valentine also noted the event regarding Pay It Forward Day at the high school and requested the knowledge of what measures were taken through the Freedom of Information Act, to which Riepenhoff said the district would require more legal consultation.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the St. Marys Board of Education is 7:30 p.m. July 8 in council chambers. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 15 July 2009 )
|
|
|
|
