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Providing a safe route to school at Garfield Elementary School continues to move along following the unanimous approval during Monday night’s Brainerd School Board meeting.
Brought to the Brainerd City Council during its meeting last Monday, council member Gary Scheeler and Brainerd City Planner Mark Ostgarden presented a map for sidewalks around Garfield Elementary with a grant application for $300,000 and an additional $150,000 — $75,000 from the district and $75,000 from the city — to expand the sidewalks around the school for a total project cost of $450,000.
Council approved a motion during that meeting to apply for the grant for Safe Routes To School and contribute $75,000 contingent upon the district matching the contribution with a 6-1 vote. Council member Mary Koep opposed.
Holding a meeting for the public last week, Scheeler said many of those who showed up were worried about the cost, but upon visiting with those along the grant-paid-for sidewalks, all that he spoke with were in favor.
“When I was campaigning, a lot of people told me that (safety) around school was a concern with no sidewalks,” said Scheeler, who included signatures and addresses of those in favor and opposed for the sidewalk construction around the school. “And I have heard from a lot of people that would like to see this get done for the safety of the children ... it seems like a positive to me.”
Garfield Principal Jon Clark agreed with Scheeler on the need for sidewalks, saying that sidewalks around the school would tremendously increase the safety for the nearly 370 students that attend the school.
“We don’t have a separation of pedestrian and cross traffic,” said Clark. “It would change our bussing pretty dramatically because right now our special education buses load and unload on 11th (Street) and we would be able to move them to 10th (Street) and develop some sort of plan.
“When we have slippery roads like we do right now, I see that as an additional hazard ... it stops traffic and I would much rather have those students on a sidewalk.”
Ostgarden reminded board members that these sidewalks would not only be beneficial for the current students and families that attend and live around Garfield, but for future families, too.
Steve Lund, director of business services, said the $75,000 contribution for the project would come from the district’s capital budget and with the possibility of the project beginning not until summer 2014, they would have time to build that into a budget surplus.
Newly elected school board member Bob Nystrom made the motion to support the application for the $300,000 grant for Safe Routes To School and matching a city contribution. Board member Chris Robinson seconded the motion which unanimously was approved.
JESSI PIERCE, staff writer, may be reached at 855-5859 or jessi.pierce@brainerddispatch.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jessi_pierce (@jessi_pierce).
Comments (9)
Add commentmap
Can the Dispatch print a copy of this map so we know what they are talking about
Re: map
BobberHead, I will check to see if we can get a copy. I looked on the city web site and a copy was not included in the packet for the city council meeting.
sidewalk
$450,000 to put a sidewalk around the school? You have to be kidding. Garfield has been going since 1955 and I don't ever recall the lack of a sidewalk around it as being an issue. It has a sidewalk in front--what more is needed?
Cyclerod48 & Map
Cyclerod...I thought the same thing until I saw that actual map and talked with Gary Scheeler. It is a lot more than just around a block. It would eventually entail safe walk-ways for most people in NE Brainerd, east of Mill Ave. The grant would be based on adding sidewalks around the school and different paths to the school and the other contributions would help benefit those who live a little further but still walk or ride bike to school.
If Mr. Newman Jr could get a hold of Mr Scheeler for a map and description, it would be the most beneficial. It doesn't sound like the most useful use of money for the school (I can think of several other things it should be used on), but it is something. And I know that Mr Scheeler has worked hard in his short time on the board to help those in NE. It is not final, all they have done is applied. Now would be the time to write to the council members and ask questions.
Maps added
We've added the maps.
Maps
Thank you. Have you heard who will be responsible for keeping these sidewalks free of snow and ice?
bobberhead
The owner of the property the sidewalk is on/will be on is responsible.
Safe Routes to School Grant/Sidewalks
I am Gary Scheeler Council person for Ward 3 (N. E.) and Chair person for Safety and Public Works. I will try to answer any questions you might have about the Garfield School Grant. Thank all of you that hold a interest in this Grant application. This Grant from the Federal government is over seen by MNDOT. The Federal Gov. put aside $400 Million for Cities to apply for it. Last year our neighbors to the south received this Grant. That was the Pierz School district. Like a coupon for Folgers coffee this Grant application is just for sidewalks around a School and cannot be redeem for cash or other projects. The City of Brainerd currently receives around $4 Million a year just from the State or Federal government to stay in business. LGA is a term you will hear often. That is around $3.8 Million a year. It use to be a lot higher. We cannot survive without outside help.
My email address is garyscheeler@hotmail.com. Please email me with any questions. If I cannot answer them I will find someone who can.
LGA
"LGA is a term you will hear often". Another phantom acronym. I had to look it up.