Crescent-News.com - Secondary access for Defiance's new elementary school still a council issue

By TODD HELBERG

An issue that seemed to be settled two weeks ago by Defiance City Council resurfaced again Tuesday night.

With two members absent, council approved a motion, 4-1, to consider an ordinance next week granting Defiance City Schools permanent access to its new Carter Road elementary school via city-owned land on Rosewood Avenue.

On Oct. 28, council passed a motion, 4-3, not to proceed with the dedication and extension of Rosewood Avenue for the school's permanent, secondary access point for the new Carter Road school.

However, a week later, on Nov. 4, council approved, 4-3, a motion by Ward

II Councilman Larry Bryant to give school buses temporary access via Rosewood until the end of the school year. (According to city administrator Jeff Leonard, school officials have expressed no interest in using the temporary access.)

Two of the four councilmen who supported the original motion on Oct. 28 and rejected the one on Nov. 4 (At-large Councilmen Steve Hubbard and Joe Eureste) were not in attendance Tuesday night.

Ward IV Councilman Chris Engel had also voted with Hubbard and Eureste on Oct. 28 and Nov. 4. Bryant voted with them on Oct. 28, but not on Nov. 4.

On Tuesday, At-large Councilman Ellen Upp proposed a new motion that an ordinance granting the school permanent access be drawn up for next week's meeting. The access would use 140 feet of city-owned land east of Rosewood Avenue's terminus.

Bryant supported Upp's motion as did Ward I Councilman Gary Butler and Ward III Councilman Darrell Handy. Only Engel was opposed.

Upp said traffic conditions will become the city's responsibility once the new elementary school opens next year. She and others believe that a single access on Carter Road won't be sufficient and could result in traffic congestion.

At present, noted Upp, the school has state money it can use to improve Rosewood Avenue for a secondary access. But she said when this money is no longer available, "we can't change our minds."

Leonard said school officials remain interested in a permanent access via Rosewood Avenue. For the moment, the school has permission from the Ohio School Facilities Commission to use state money to improve Rosewood.

But school officials, he added, are scheduled to meet with the state on Friday to discuss closing out the new elementary school project.

In addition to her own comments, Upp provided a letter to council from school bus driver Bob Kroeger. Council President Tim Holtsberry paraphrased the letter, which expressed concern about safety and rejecting state money for Rosewood's improvement.

The letter, which was provided to The Crescent-News, concluded: "The way it stands, the city council is flushing the Ohio School Facilities Commission's money grant for improving Rosewood Avenue down the drain and letting it up to the citizens of Defiance to pay for a separate driveway which is not needed.

"Most importantly, since when did the city council not care about the safety of our students? Without the Rosewood access, the Carter Road drive will be the only means of ingress and egress for school buses, forcing bus drivers to negotiate around numerous parent vehicles and a few walkers like behind the middle school in the afternoon. I think the positions of Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Eureste (past school board member) and Mr. Engel (who lives in the Ayersville School District) are deplorable. ... Hopefully, Mr. Bryant will see the light and join the level-headed Mr. Handy, Mrs. Upp and Mr. Butler in granting a permanent access on Rosewood Avenue for school buses. This may not be an ideal choice, but it's the most sensible choice for all concerned, especially for our young people."