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Show WX: Piroftecft CBiOIdlireini By MARK D. MICKELSEN WOODS CROSS The city council has taken the first steps to increase crosswalk protection for a small group of Woods Cross school children. Stahle said a majority of the children walking the route are kindergarten age "with little knowledge of traffic safety." One concerned parent suggested sug-gested that the city install a flashing school sign, but was told the sign would cost $500 and might be prohibitive to the city's budget. CROSSING guards are paid $1,500 a year. Chief Stahle said. "Isn't your child worth $2,000 a year." he asked the audience and council. The chief said the advantage of having a crossing guard along the road strip is (hat the guard's presence severely cuts back the incidence of child molestation. And he said there have been a couple such incidents inci-dents over the last few years. AT THE conclusion of the 45-minute debate, attending residents told the council they will check with landowners living liv-ing along 800 West and see if they would be willing now to involve themselves in the installation in-stallation of a sidewalk. According to the council, a majority of the property ow ners n-ers must agree to the sidewalk installation before anything can be done. THE COUNCIL has asked Chief Stahle to get estimates on the cost of a flashing sign to be placed along the school route, but did not say whether enough money was budgeted to purchase one this year. In the meantime, a crosswalk cross-walk on 2000 South will be repainted re-painted by the city as a safety reminder to motorists and a new crossing guard will be hired to watch over the school children. ANYONE WISHING to apply app-ly for the crossing guard position posi-tion should contact Chief Stahle or make application at the city offices at 1555 South 800 West. ACTING ON A request from the parents of about 38 kinder-garten kinder-garten and grade school youngsters, the council approved a measure to hire another crossing guard and repaint re-paint a fading crosswalk at 2000 South on 800 West. A crowd of about 30 concerned con-cerned landowners complained com-plained that a section of 800 West between 1700 and 2000 South poses some dangerous problems for their children, who must cross the busy street at different times during the day. A SPOKESWOMAN for the group. Norma Jensen, said much of the land adjacent to the busy street contains new subdivision developments. She said there are approximately approxi-mately 38 children from the area who are attending school and have no safe place along the school path to cross the street. ' One of the problems is a lack of sidewalks along certain portions por-tions of 800 West. But the city council claims they cannot get landowners in the area to agree to put a sidewalk in. AS A SECONDARY solution, solu-tion, the parents asked the council to appoint another crossing guard between 2000 South and 1935 South. But again there was some concern from the council over the availability of funds to appoint another guard. CROSSING GUARDS, Mayor Lawrence Urry said, "are not a budgeted item." One unidentified resident told the council she witnessed several "near miss" accidents along the strip of road during her travels to and from Woods Cross Elementary. She said she didn't think the area was safe enough to let her five-year-old go to school unattended, un-attended, and continually drives him to school each day. POLICE CHIEF Niles |