03-F Traffic Minutes 9-7-04Minutes
Traffic Commission
City of Paris
The Traffic Commission met in regular session, Tuesday, September 7, 2004, at
5:15 P.M. in the municipal court room with the following members present:
1.
Ed Ellis
2.
Mary Lane
3.
Rickey Mackey
4.
George Fisher
5.
Ed Seidle
6.
George Kimbrough
7.
Jon McFadden
The city staff was represented by acting Assistant Chief of Police Bob Hundley.
The chairman of the commission is absent due to illness and Ed Ellis conducted
the meeting as chair with the others members consent.
The minutes of the May 4, 2004 meeting were reviewed for errors and with a
motion by Ed Seidle and seconded by Jon McFadden were approved as
submitted.
Mr. Ellis brought the first item on the agenda and asked for those to speak,
limiting their presentation to 2 minutes, that were in favor of the request to close
the portion of SE 3 ST from the south side of E. Kaufman to the north side of E.
Austin.
Those that spoke in favor of the closing were:
Tim Stone, 1 St Baptist Church
Leslie Stidham, 1St Baptist Church
Mary Merril, 1St Baptist Church
Bryan Fennel, 1 St Baptist Church
Gary Vest, 1 St Baptist Church
Dan Harrison, 1 St Baptist Church
Robert White, 1 St Baptist Church
Ken Cannon, 1 St Baptist Church
Tony Vanderwilt, 1St Baptist Church
Randall Perry, 1 St Baptist Church
J. K. Weger, 1 St Baptist Church
Lori Benson, 1 St Baptist Church
Phillip Hamilton, 1734 Margaret
Jeane Sampler, 1 St Baptist Church
Lewis Ingram, 1" Baptist Church
All of these speakers alluded to concerns for children and senior citizens
crossing the street for various activities at the Family Life Center, play ground,
and parking lot. They cited personal experiences of family members being hit by
vehicles elsewhere, not seeing any enforcement action by the police department,
and vehicles ignoring the posted 20 mph speed limit.
Mr. Ellis then asked for any comments against the closing of the street.
Those that appeared and spoke against the closing were:
Bob Norment, Central Presbyterian Church cited concerns for the traffic
congestion at his church if the portion of the street was closed.
Linda Laire Central Presbyterian Church cited similar concerns about traffic and
had questions about the 1 St Baptist Church being so close to the road.
Carl Cecil, Liberty National Bank cited concerns about the street being a main
artery for traffic going to his business.
Cybil Colson Central Presbyterian Church cited concerns for traffic congestion.
Karl Louis, Paris Police Department had concerns for the ability of police, fire,
and EMS response to this area with this street not being open. Chief Louis
introduced a City of Paris Engineering Department traffic count that in one week,
over 32,000 cars had used this portion of SE 3 ST. Chief Louis also reported
that in the last three years, there had been only 1 minor accident and 1 accident
with minor injury in this area.
Danny Laire Central Presbyterian Church cited concerns for traffic congestion
and that the parking lot of their church would become a thoroughfare from
Church to SE 3 ST.
Ronnie Grooms, Paris Fire Department echoed most other concerns for
emergency response and traffic congestion.
Marcus Roden, Gene Roden Funeral Home stated that he understood and
appreciated the concerns of those that spoke in favor of the closing but the
closing would impact his business and add to the congestion on Church Street.
Sally Cooper Central Presbyterian Church cited concerns about traffic with the
day school that is held at the church.
Mr. Ellis then asked for any other comments.
Most of the following comments were from the audience and not from the
podium:
Leslie Stidham had questions about the traffic count and thought that most of the
count was from vehicles that had been at 1 St Baptist Church.
Casey Rose, Roden Funeral Home stated he was against closing the street but
wondered if a committee could be formed between the City and church personnel
to find a solution.
Randall Perry stated that they had studied this problem, looking at building a
elevated walkway and other options and feel that this is the only solution (closing
the street).
Dan Harrison stated that they had even discussed relocating the 1 St Baptist
Church.
Louis Hagood, Central Presbyterian Church stated she was against the closure
and made comments about better control of the children.
Lori Benson 1 St Baptist Church made a statement about the dropping off of
children at the Presbyterian church now takes place in the parking lot and not on
the street.
Tim Stone stated that they wanted a final solution and that the fire stations being
sub-stations that fire trucks would come to this area from different directions.
Marcus Roden then stated that he would like to see the commission vote no to
closure tonight and then form the committee.
Commission Member Mr. Fisher stated that this was not final on any vote, that
the matter would be finalized with the City Council vote.
Mr. Ellis asked if anyone had a motion to table the closure, pending a committee
to meet and try to come up with a solution and report back to the commission
meeting in October. Mr. Fisher made that motion, Ms. Lane seconded and the
motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Ellis explained to the audience that the Traffic Commission meets the 1St
Tuesday of every month.
Chief Louis asked that the committee include Chief Grooms, Shaun Napier, and
himself.
Mr. Ellis then moved to the second and final agenda item on providing a left and
right turn on Pine Mill Road at the intersection of N. Collegiate. This matter had
previously been before the commission and a vote taken on a left turn lane on N.
Collegiate had been approved. Since Pine Mill and N. Collegiate is a`T'
intersection, vehicles waiting to turn left from Pine Mill to Collegiate were backing
up other vehicles needing to turn right. The staff solution presented to the Traffic
Commission was the installation of left and right turn lanes for Pine Mill at N.
Collegiate.
Mr. Mackey made a motion to approve, seconded by Mr. McFadden and the
motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Lane made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Fisher and the meeting
ended at 6:15 P. M.
Lt. Bob Hundley
Acting Assistant Chief of Police