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Show Buck Passing Dear Editor: For approximately 15 years the Naples Elementary School has been in existence. Signs were only put up last year informing motorists of a school zone; I might add these signs are very inadequate. Three times since December I have witnessed children almost getting hit by speeding trucks I called the school to find out why flashing lights are not in existence and why the cross walks are all faded out. I was told that they have been trying to get something done but to no avail. I decided to go to the top and work down, so I called the Governor's office. The buck was passed to Lt. Governor's office whom passed it to Mr. Kent Briggs, who just happend to be away from his office (I was told he would call me.) The next call was to the Regional Traffic Safety Engineer, Mr. Les Jester. He told me that if the county will hire a crossing guard, the much needed and long sought after traffic light would be installed within approximately ap-proximately 30 days. He said that lights in that particular area without an adult guard would give a false sense of security to the children. (I think that makes sense.) Mr. Jester then passed the buck to the County Commissioners. The next stop was Mr. Merrill Mecham; all the other commissioners were in meetings (Almost identical story I got from governor's office and Lt. Governor's office.) Mr. Mecham stated emphatically that he was doing something about it right now. That very moment? I gave him the phone number of Regional Traffic Safety Engineer. Another Buck passer? Twenty minutes later I called again and Mr. Mecham had actually been on the phone trying to do something. I talked again to Traffic Safety Engineer Mr. Jester, and he stated that correspondence dating back for several years to county commissioners has implied the state's willingness to install the flashing lights. He also stated that the cost of operation would be minimal. Approximately Ap-proximately $5 per month each. I again called Mr. Mecham and he says the school board won't pay the cost of a crossing guard, and also the voting comes up April 20 to make Naples a city. "Do we have to wait and wait," I said, "for ifs and buts and whens?" "No," he told me. "I'm going to try to do something now." He says he was never informed of the problem before. Somewhere in the Smithsonian Institute In-stitute lost among the thousands of articles of treasures and junk lies a dusty old desk plaque that says, "The Buck Stops Here." R.L. TURPIN |