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People’s column

Arkwright roads getting attention

Editor, OBSERVER:

Your newspaper’s recent article regarding the road conditions on Brainard and Miller roads (Feb. 24) was quite accurate and we appreciate this accuracy. What was left out and is of great importance to our taxpayers is that the cost of repairing this condition is by contract with the town the responsibility of the wind power developer.

In response to this contractual obligation this weekend the developer put 5,000 tons of gravel on Brainard Road and 1,500 tons of gravel on Miller Road. This has stabilized the road surfaces.

In Arkwright our town roads are primarily dirt roads and the rains have destabilized them. The heavy truck traffic, which is necessary for the construction project, has further been a destabilizing influence. However, any road surface destabilized during construction must be stabilized by the developer. Any destabilization which appears after construction will be repaired by us with funds provided by the developer.

As a condition to begin the project the developer had to deposit with us a non-refundable amount of $325,000 for the cost of post construction repairs. The town taxpayer does not have to worry about paying for repair of road conditions caused by the wind power project construction.

FREDERIC P. NORTON,

supervisor,

town of Arkwright

School officers

are necessity

Editor, OBSERVER:

My name is Jazz Witkowski, I am 8, and I am a third-grade student at Fredonia Elementary. I went to the Board of Education meeting because we need a school resource officer in our school. We did have one once but they took it away because of money.

Money was more important than the kids are. We need officers in each school. Our school is too big for one officer. They need to be a police officer, they need to be trained like one. Everyone needs to help pay them to protect us. They will help the community and the school so both should pay them. And now New York state has said they may help with the cost too.

We also need to separate the kids, some kids are worse than others and they need help and should be away from the other kids so that way they don’t cause more problems. Those kids that have a problem being in school and following the rules should be in their own class until they can learn to follow the rules. I heard that they use to have separate classes and schools for different kids. What was wrong with that? If we all learn differently why not put us in classes where we can learn the best way.

Why is anyone allowed to buy a weapon made for soldiers? No one should need an automatic weapon or need to have the ability to alter what they own and make it an automatic weapon. And these weapons should not even be sold. We should not let everyone buy a gun. There should be checks to make sure that these people that want guns have not tried to hurt anyone or had thoughts of hurting people.

Thank you for reading my letter.

JAZZ WITKOWSKI,

Fredonia

Cuts today

impact tomorrow

Editor, OBSERVER:

Just like last year, the White House has released a national budget proposal that drastically slashes foreign aid. What does this money do? For starters, it ensures that millions of people get treatment for tuberculosis, which is currently the world’s biggest infectious killer. It helps babies get the medical care and nutrition they need to grow into healthy kids. It gives girls a chance to go to school.

Cutting these programs denies millions of people a future. This is not who we are. Congress knows it, which is why they fought back last year to stop the proposed cuts. They must do the same now.

THOMAS PINTAGRO,

Jamestown

Mitrano needs district support

Editor, OBSERVER:

I am writing to endorse Tracy Mitrano for Congress. She is the candidate that will be able to unseat Tom Reed in the midterm elections. Tracy is smart, speaks well, is approachable, and she really listens to concerns.

She has lived her entire life in Western New York and the Southern Tier, and is a cyber-security specialist.

Many of us want to make a difference and one big way we can help is to unite behind one Democratic nominee.

Tuesday is the beginning of the time period to collect signatures in the 23rd district to decide which candidates are on the ballot for the primary election Sept. 11 with the actual election in November.

Tracy is the only candidate who has said if she loses the primary, she will release her staff and funds to help Reed’s challenger. She believes the time is now to remove him. This election.

Please, if you haven’t yet, introduce yourself to Tracy Mitrano at https://tracymitranoforcongress.com/. Contact her campaign with questions, offers to help, pledge to sign for Tracy, donate money.

Registered Democrats are eligible to sign only one petition, so please make the smart choice for District 23 and endorse Mitrano for Congress.

FAITH TYLER,

Fredonia alumna,

Groton

Route 60 began

as ‘low volume’

Editor, OBSERVER:

The OBSERVER’s Retrospective from 1998 published Feb. 17, states that Route 60 “was designed to accommodate low-volume, local traffic, travelling at relatively low speed.”

A New York state Department of Public Works planning document from 1947 maintained in the library of the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development states that Route 60 from Dunkirk through Jamestown was designed to provide Jamestown and Erie, Pa., with a direct, high-speed truck route to the New York State Thruway.

Route 60 was largely completed in its current form in 1954. Two additional lanes in each direction were subsequently added from the Dunkirk Thruway Exit to the Route 20 intersection.

The Dunkirk exit of the New York State Thruway opened in 1957.

The decennial U.S. Census shows a Chautauqua County population peak in 1970.

In 2018, speed limits from Shumla Road in the town of Pomfret to the Dunkirk Thruway Exit are lower than in 1955.

MICHAEL C. BARRIS, Ph.D.,

village trustee,

Fredonia

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