Winfield lacks stop signs, trash pickup contract

By SALLY Y. HAYES

Mt. Pleasant News

WINFIELD ? A request from the public for more controlled intersections and a need for new garbage pick up bids after learning of Whaley Waste?s closing dominated the conversation at Monday night?s, Sept. 12, regular session meeting of the Winfield City Council.

Residents of Winfield voiced their concern for the lack of stop signs and yield signs at many intersections in the city, particularly near the school.

Emily Burgus was recently in a two-vehicle accident where her car was totaled at the intersection of Walnut and Center. She told the council, ?I?m glad everyone?s okay, but my thing is can we please get some signs up. ? I don?t want that to happen to somebody else because quite frankly it was scary. It was awful.?

The accident she was involved in was at an uncontrolled intersection. An intersection where there are no stop signs or yields signs posted from any direction is called an uncontrolled intersection.

Others in the audience also shared their concerns for the need to add more signs to slow traffic, especially near the school building during the times of day when children are walking to and from school.

?Somebody is going to get seriously hurt there one of these days,? said Cody Woodsmall, a resident of Winfield.

Ann Lauber believes the high school drivers have gotten worse as of late; she said, ?The last four years have gotten bad.?

Burgus reiterated, ?I don?t want somebody else to get in a car accident because we don?t have yields or stop signs.?

As the council listened, Burgus asked, ?Can we just look around town and see if we can get some stop signs to make this a safer place for kids??

?Everybody speeds around this town, I would just like to see the city maybe add stop signs and yield signs for a safer environment,? she continued.

Mayor Jeff Suter responded that the city will have members of the police department look into the situation. ?We?ll have to have Jeff (Dietrich) and Dean (Walter) look at some intersections and write down which way to recommend to put up some different signs and at the next meeting we can do the resolution.?

Suter explained that a resolution has to be written and approved, ?Hopefully, within 30 days we can make some decisions?

As the council moved down the agenda City Clerk Savannah Finnell informed the council that the city will have to begin looking for new bids for trash pick up. ?We got information this morning that Whaley Waste has closed their doors and they?re no longer going to be our garbage service,? she said Monday evening.

?They?ve given us 30 days of service to still pick up garbage but after that they?re done,? Finnell further explained.

The city of Winfield had recently accepted a contract with Whaley Waste Systems in which the city would pay $3,294.60 per month. With an estimated 450 customers, the cost would be approximately $39,500 per year. Now Winfield will be looking for more bids for trash pickup, ?We have to decide next meeting because we?ll have to have something,? Suter said.

During Finnell?s report she reminded people that elections for city positions will be held Nov. 8. She also introduced Angela Oepping, the new city clerk, who was shadowing Finnell during the meeting. Monday was Oepping?s first day.

In addition to the stop signs four other items were presented to the council during the public forum portion of the meeting. Irene and Leonard Hesseltine requested that the city suggest how to stop people from cutting the corner of Nebraska and Central into their yard.

?It seems that traffic likes to drive off the street and cut the corner, sometimes its semis,? said

Leonard Hesseltine. ?We?re looking for ideas or wondering what could be done to keep the vehicles on the road where they belong.?

The Hesseltines also referenced issues with snowmobiles in the past.

Members of the council suggested and discussed reflectors, stones, posts, fences and bushes be used.

?Well, I don?t think we?re going to get it solved tonight, but we?re aware of it but maybe we can come up with some ideas, maybe make the corner a little bit easier to navigate,? said Suter.

The second item, Janet Everett asked the city to allow the United Methodist Church to host a block party Sunday, Oct. 9 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. in which the street on the west side of the church would be closed for those three hours. The council approved this item.

In relation to the church, residents on South Walnut stated that there are issues with parking in no parking zones on Walnut, particularly during Sunday mornings.

The council agreed to look into the problem. Police Chief Jeff Dietrich said, ?If you ever can?t get out call and we?ll tow it.?

The final item discussed during the public forum was the issue of loose and stray dogs in town. The mayor reminded those present that the city does have a dogcatcher and that licensure of dogs is still in effect. The council discussed sending letters to citizens about the issue.

Dietrich explained that if a dog is a problem then people need to call the police station at that time and not days later. ?If somebody calls we answer the call,? he explained.

The sewer bill in conjunction with the school project was discussed. The city did not approve paying for the bill but will speak with the superintendent to get further information.

Public Works Director Rick Rodgers brought up another infrastructure concern during his departmental report. He suggests that the city begin looking ahead and preparing to replace the water main on Huntsberry Street from Ash to West Central. The project would be a total of three blocks and would include adding fire hydrants.

Mayor Suter stated, ?We?ve had two water breaks just this year alone.? He estimates that the project will cost roughly $75,000 to $90,000.

Rodgers also told the council that the annual gas survey was conducted and that two more emergency gas valves will be added in town this year. ?We only have about half as many as we need,? Rodgers said.

In other business, the road use tax report was approved. Also, no bids were placed for the sale of the property at 110 N. Olive in Winfield. Three members were added to the library board and a new assistant was hired.

The date for the annual hot dog roast was set for Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. with a rain date of Oct. 31 at the same time.

The council also discussed getting new city banners. Suter said he thought it would nice and it would help ?dress up downtown a little bit.? The council will discuss prices at the next meeting.

The next regular session Winfield City Council meeting will be held Oct. 11.