TOWN OF BRADFORD
SAFE WALK TO SCHOOL
OCTOBER 1, 2009
3:30PM
Andrew Pinard, Interim Chair, opened the Safe Walk to School meeting at 3:00pm. with the following in attendance: Kate Dobrowski, Community Center, Dawn Rich, Nik Coates, CNHRPC, Shanna Braden, Audrey Sylvester, Friends of the Brown Memorial Library, Evan from CNHRPC, Christine Waite, Chips, Cheryl Behr, Town of Bradford, Debbie Flinkstrom, Parks and Rec., Beth Rodd, Community Member.
September 17, 2009 Minutes:
Andrew Pinard advised the last minutes that were taken, on September 17, 2009 have been posted on the web site with the edit of Nik Cotes name which is: Coates.
Andrew Pinard also thanked Nik Coates for coordinating the information which is being turned over to him today.
The checklist for today includes:
Letters for support from community members due.
Letters received include the Community Center, State Senate, Mr. Janeway, and Representative, Beth Rodd, and Barbara French. Nik Coates advised there have been enough letters received, waiting for others, could delay the process. Nik Coates will collect the letters today and run them thru the PDF copier with the application and have it for completion by Monday.
Nik Coates advised the application is complete and should move forward.
Christine Waite advised there will be a Chips special meeting set up soon.
Nik Coates advised that realistically a meeting would encompass about one half hour. This could take place at Community Night. This should be well advertised with a press release, volunteer fliers, advertising for Community night. Samples of what another town is doing was passed out for perusal. A guide for Community Night for consideration was passed around. Andrew Pinard advised he will contact school administration and cross promote this to the school and keep Mr. Spadaro up to date with what is going on.
Andrew Pinard added that Cheryl Behr and Nik Coates have put a lot of work into preparing the initial grant, and if any new members have questions or input to feel free to speak up.
Recruiting a task force for different areas of this endeavor to include:
1. Promotional, which Andrew advised he will do something on the Web Site.
2. Media and Grass Roots aspect.
3. Planning a walking event for the fall. Now that the asphalt has been cleared off from West Main Street and the repair of some sections of it and showing the difference left on East Main Street can be seen better, and will show the limitations of what is being worked on. Hopefully this will get more people with children out and walk downtown and see what the conditions are and understand that there is a need to improve certain areas. Suggestion for locations to make stops at and where to cross the street could be outlined. The highlights of the route should include the Town Hall, Community Center, Library, Church and Fire Dept. with a stop at each where refreshments of cider etc. would be made available.
Andrew Pinard advised it is not just an issue of sidewalks, there is also lighting issues involved. There is a map showing a potential area for the sidewalk to go. Nik Coates suggested getting information out to parents during Halloween. Dawn Rich volunteered to give handouts at that time. A scavenger hunt was suggested and perhaps could include the Boy Scouts.
1. Nominate someone to talk with the Selectmen to see if it would be feasible to close the road for a certain time frame on Halloween. The time frame is usually from 4:00pm to 6pm for the small children and 6:00pm to 8:00pm for the older children. Cheryl Behr will talk with the Police Dept. concerning this.
2. A scavenger hunt should be planned very soon as it is getting colder and this should include both parents and children. There could be speakers, such as Fire Chief, someone from the Safe Routes to School, as well as the Police Chief, for 5 minutes each. A banner could be at the beginning of the route and also a table with information and fliers about Safe Routes to School. This is a suggestion, however, something different could be set up. Shanna Braden and Kate Dobrowski will work together on this. Dawn Rich questioned if October 12th might be a good time with there being no school on that day.
Jim Valiquet, Police Chief suggested poling the Selectmen as to the closing off of Main Street during the Halloween hours for safety.
November14, 2009 is the date set for the scavenger hunt during the day from 10:00pm to 2:00pm with historical facts regarding the town of Bradford as their guide to go on to the next step in the hunt. Their prizes will be picked up at the event to be held at the Community Center at 3:00pm., where there will be a speaker. Several possibilities of speakers were suggested and will be approached. This will be coordinated through e-mails.
Distribution of surveys was discussed to coordinate with the Web Site, as well as giving the information to Mr. Spadaro to take the lead in the schools and to coordinate with the teachers, hopefully by making it a homework assignment and offering rewards. Paper copies of the survey could be put in the Community Center and Library as well as other local spots. It was suggested that survey’s could be dropped off at a specified places to be named at a later time.
A dead line for the survey’s to be completed will be tentatively set for November 24, 2009.
THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2009, AT 3:30 AT THE TOWN HALL
Nik Coates advised that once events are planned and everything is in place, they will need to transition into looking at completing the tasks that are built into the application. Specific items needing to be addressed are: Creating the maps which will come out of the surveys. An other survey that needs to be done will come out of Field Work from CHRPC who will work with the committee. Some walking will be done in the spring. A bike rodeo will be in the plans among other activities as well as setting up an assembly at school to talk with parents about speeding and safe driving around school zones.
Everyone will be receiving e-mails from Nik Coates with up-dates.
Adjourned at 4:00pm
Respectfully submitted
Marjorie R. Cilley
Secretary