Resident Fears for Children's Safety on Bow Street
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, February 22, 2010

Amy Hicks of Helping Paws Healing Hearts opened today's meeting. Hicks came to ask for support from the City of Cleveland to help keep this non-profit program alive and free in our community. Hicks also brought with her one of her co-workers, a black Labrador mix named Daryl. Daryl is just one of two of the paws helping in this program. The other is Larry.

Helping Paws Healing Hearts is a non-profit program designed to assists children with educational and therapeutic needs in the community. Amy, Daryl and Larry have visited over 10,000 students in Cleveland and Bradley County over the past four years. However, the program is also provided to churches and the juvenile justice center, not just schools. More information can be found at www.helpingpawshealinghearts.com.

The council voted unanimously to allow Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland to draft a letter of support for the program.

Mike Holburn and Blake Cantrell of Green Guys Recycling came to give a brief presentation about their recycling business. It's a business that is fairly new to the Cleveland area, but was introduced by Councilman Richard banks. This will be of no cost to the city, Green Guys is an independent company and will make pick-ups at your house for your recyclables one time a week. If interested in recycling, visit www.mygreenguys.com for more information.

City resident Kim Pesterfield was present at the 4 p.m. regular session to voice her concerns about a "horrific speeding problem" on Bow Street, where she resides. Pesterfield has had concerns about this roadway since August of 2009. She tried several times to reach the Traffic Engineering portion of the City of Cleveland to request a traffic study, to no avail. But Sunday, her family was out enjoying the weather, when their family pet chased a ball into the street and was hit by a speeding car. Her young son was left to watch, but Pesterfield's concerns are that the next time, it could be a child's life at stake.

The council unanimously passed a motion to get a traffic study underway and to reduce the speed limit to 25 MPH. Mayor Rowland requested Police Chief Wes Snyder to place extra patrols in the area, to which he agreed.

The next meeting has been moved from March 8, 2010 to March 11, 2010.