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Expletive flies during meeting
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - March 11, 2010)
Expletive flies during meeting
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
A discussion on whether to move forward with legislation to reduce the speed along North Cheshire Street in Burton Village turned heated Monday.
During an exchange between Councilmen Jeff Coleman and Craig Ronyak the two raised their voices, leading one of them to use an expletive.
"B-------," Mr. Coleman said as Mr. Ronyak claimed that the legislation was only in response to Mr. Coleman's son being involved in an accident in the area.
After repeating the word, Mayor Thomas Blair Sr. used the gavel to restore decorum.
Mr. Coleman had called for legislation in December to change the speed limit along North Cheshire Street, from Burton Square to Goodwin Avenue, from 35 mph to 25 mph. He said at that time an accident involving his son prompted him to seek the legislation because of the speed of the other vehicle involved.
Two weeks ago, with Mr. Coleman absent, Mr. Ronyak and Councilman Gerald Rouge asked that the legislation be held up until a speed study of all streets could be conducted by Burton police.
On Monday, Mr. Coleman asked that the legislation be introduced, saying it should be done regardless of what the speed study shows.
He said the speed limit along that area had been 25 mph in the past and that virtually all business districts in other communities are 25 mph.
"Business districts are always 25 mph," Mr. Coleman said. "There's no reason our business district should be 35 mph, none."
Mr. Blair said while the street was at one time posted for 25 mph, the village had never enacted an ordinance to make it official.
But, Mr. Ronyak repeated his call to wait until the speed study was completed. Referring to Mr. Coleman's son, he said, that teens often make mistakes as young drivers and people should just accept it as a lesson learned.
Mr. Coleman used the expletives at that time, saying Mr. Ronyak should not bring his son into the discussion because the issue is not about his son. Mr. Ronyak then said he was talking about all teenage drivers.
Mr. Coleman said the issue is really about safety, saying the area is one of the heaviest traveled, particularly for pedestrians.
"It will make it a safer village," Mr. Coleman said. "This is common sense."
He said that the speed of the vehicle that hit his son's car caused it to spin around and the impact destroyed the car.
Mr. Ronyak continued to defend his position in the matter, saying there was no reason to change the speed limit until a speed study was done. "If a kid has an accident, you don't go changing everything," he said.
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