Stop Sign Debate Stirs Emotion

Council members adopted a resolution Tuesday requiring the town to inform residents of Greenway Farms and Woodlea Manor one month in advance should a future public hearing be held on the question of removing signs on Meade Drive.

The resolution was in response to renewed concerns by residents about the stop sign debate, many of whom said they were not informed that council was again reviewing the issue. Two weeks ago, council members revisited the subject on the recommendation of Councilman Fernando "Marty" Martinez, who said he regularly observed children dodging motorists who failed to come to a stop at stop signs along Meade Drive. Several years ago, the town sought to slow traffic by placing four stop signs within 300 feet of each other along Meade Drive, a decision that set off a bitter war of words between neighboring communities Woodlea Manor and Greenway Farms.

But on Monday night, it was similar bitter sentiments that had been voiced by neighbors that caused Martinez to announce that he no longer wanted to explore the issue. Martinez pointed to comments levied at Vice Mayor Susan Horne and Councilman David Schmidt, both of whom live in Woodlea Manor, alleging that the two conspired to have the subject revisited.

"To accuse them of that is downright mean-spirited," Martinez said. "Their heart is in this town. My biggest disappointment is the way people have attacked them. If this is the way it's going to be, it's not worth it."

Schmidt said the personal attacks were "evidence that [some residents] will do just about everything to keep the signs."

"The sad thing is we should all act in a way that produces the best public policy solutions regardless of hurt feelings," he said.

But Tuesday night, residents sounded off on Martinez, some saying they felt he bullied residents at Monday's work session. Kim Berkey, president of the Greenway Farms HOA, also accused Martinez of ignoring his constituents when he brought the issue up two weeks ago.

"We were promised a meeting [with Martinez]," Berkey said. "We're still waiting."

Berkey also said she hoped that council members wouldn't revisit the issue in the future.

"If you bring it up again later it would be disingenuous," she said.

Per a recommendation by a Greenway Farms resident, Councilwoman Katie Sheldon Hammler made a motion to pass a resolution that would give residents of both communities a month's notice should a public hearing be held to revisit the stop signs. The resolution passed unanimously.

Martinez said after Tuesday's public comment section that he was not targeting residents at Monday's meeting in his comments and also said he was surprised how the issue had escalated.

"I'm on the sidelines here saying 'how did this happen'," Martinez said. "If I had thought this was going to go a lot further I would've acted a lot differently."