On Wednesday October 5th we brought you the story of the Werner Elementary safety issues.
That same evening the parents and community came out to speak to the Rialto Traffic Commission on the issues with speeding & safety in front of their school. Listed on the Commission agenda was the anticipated attendance of current Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson the parents and community were hoping to get to speak to her publicly. Well once again the Mayor was a No Show and only represented an empty seat.
Jasmine Avila carried the group with a prepared statement that pointed out the mayors history with transportation and her campaign promise to make Rialto a safe place to live work and play. The group now calls on Mayor Robertson to turn words into actions and help make the front of their school a safe place for our kids.
The group has heard from the mayor already stating that any solution would not work because of where Rialto Unified School District decided to place this school even though the city was not in favor of the location. Two parents from the group also addressed the Commissioners one explaining how the parents are choosing to solve the problem of traffic.
The parents and the community they have rallied to their side are sticking to the issue that something needs to be done. After the meeting Mr. David Phillips a community member and local advocate running for city council was able to introduce the group to City Administrator Mike Story who told the group that they are going to meet down at the school in the coming week with all parties to see what can be done to make the street safer for students. Mike Story said that the meeting will consist of Public Works Director Robert Eiezenbiez, Rialto Police Sgt, RUSD top leadership and others to see first hand what is going on and how they can come to a solution.
During the Commission meeting the Chair Dennis Barton told the group that traffic signals must be warranted via rules that the city and state are bound to. We didn’t get to ask Mr. Barton if the short traffic signals on foothill and Baseline were held against those same standards?
In the midst of an election year the amount of ducking and hiding that is going on is way out of character leaving one to believe if the Mayor still wants to be Rialto’s Mayor? Then enters Councilman Ed Scott who wants you to forget that the area the schools are in were once zoned for commercial purposes would need to be re-zoned before RUSD could build a school there.
“I was extremely concerned when the school district decided to build schools there, because it’s on a major industrial-type street. I think the school district should have done some better planning than put a school there,” he said. “I agree, it’s something that needs to be looked at, and the school district needs to participate in it, since it’s something they decided to do. … Whenever you build a school, you have to think about the children that you’re educating and make sure they’re in a safe situation.” Councilman Ed Scott
The problem is IF the mayor and councilman Ed Scott were so against this school being built why did they approve the land re-zoning? Well it is because our leaders refuse to make the hard decisions that may not be popular but necessary. Because not allowing the school to be built would not have been popular and the Mayor and Ed Scott are only interested in the popular vote.
rialtonow 