2006-10-10-WALKS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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LEXINGTON SIDEWALK COMMITTEE Minutes of October 10, 2006 meeting The meeting, in the Selectman's Meeting Room was opened at 12:15 by chairman Craig Weeks. Speaking for the Bridge school SRTS program, Sara Chamberlain said that the PTA and school officials were very pleased with the safety measures promoted by the Sidewalk Committee and with the parental support given to walking and bicycling. Concerns were raised, in subsequent discussion, about photographing the children face-on in publicity shots released to newspapers, flyers, or the web because of possible misuse by undesirable elements. Some parents are especially averse to this and the school administration is best positioned to resolve questions case by case for those included or not in photographs. Other members of the committee felt such fears were unwarranted and that the process for approvals would be cumbersome. It was finally agreed that the schools are best suited to deal with the problem and that SWC publicity pictures of children would henceforth be vetted through the schools. For adults, these precautions are, of course, unnecessary. Lucy F-J said that the Walk Day USA celebration at Bowman the previous week had been very successful.The trail connecting Follen Hill neighborhood to Clarke MS via Blossomcrest was shown by Stew Kennedy, the bike committee chair. He found many people interested in the broader question of school access for older children. Sharen MaKenzie reported that Hastings ES has lowered to 4th grade the age when students, with parental approval and help, can bicycle to school. The Fiske ES priority list for safe route improvements will be considered and acted upon soon by the Traffic Safety Committee. It was noted that crossing strips painted at Meriam, Coolidge, and Woodland streets along Adam St. are an excellent first step. Olga G. said that there were some "global priorities" for sidewalks in Lexington to be acted on by the SWC, for example, a policy on snow removal responsibility. She asked if the DPW had an updated list of school bus stops needing routine plowing and signs indicating where to stand. Ch. Weeks said he would inquire from DPW since Wayne B. was not present to answer. Laura C. said she had a partial listing of these sites. Lisa B. asked if school policy encourages crossing guards to overlap time to help students get to more than one school, an example Adam/ Hathaway corner serving students for both Fiske and Diamond. It should happen when possible, she said. Lisa also noted that sidewalk inventory and some sidewalk policy