Village to ask MCS to Help on Elementary Crosswalk

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - The crosswalk warning lights on Main Street at Middleburgh Elementary School have not worked for several years and village board members want them repaired.

Village board members plan to attend next week's school board meeting on Wednesday, March 13 to ask that the lights be repaired for safety reasons.

"This is a safety issue for the kids and the crossing guard," Trustee Sheryl Adams said at Monday's village board meeting.

Streets Superintendent Cole Keyser said one of the lights, on the east side of Main Street, was damaged in a vehicle accident a few years ago and not replaced. The light on Main Street on the side of the school stopped working a few years ago and has not been repaired.

Under an agreement, the school pays for the lights, the village installs them, and the state maintains them, Superintendent Keyser said. The village could pay for the lights and be reimbursed.

The lights were added several years ago after a middle school student was struck and injured by a vehicle attempting to cross the street one fall evening.

Not having operating lights at the crosswalk is a definite safety issue, Superintendent Keyser, board members, and other officials said.

"They do fly through there," Superintendent Keyser added.

Trustee Bob Tinker, a retired elementary school teacher, said he has spoken to district officials several times and has been told that money would be found when the school budget was in place.

He noted that the agreement for the crosswalk lights was made through a "gentlemen's agreement."

He added, "Moving the rock isn't easy."

One way to get the work done is to have the school superintendent direct traffic at the crosswalk, said Fire Department Chief Darwyn Gregory.

"He'd change his tune in one heck of a hurry," he said.

Trustee Amanda Fernandez suggested having village officials attend a school board meeting and bring up the issue.