Council buys four traffic speed signs, discusses public safety

La Conner residents shared with Town officials a broad range of traffic and public safety concerns last Tuesday night.

At the Town Council’s June 22 Zoom meeting, speeding motorists and discarded drug syringes were discussed at length. There is a growing anxiety, as the Council session bore out, over apparent increases in minor infractions and more serious crimes coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s time to get more serious about law enforcement,” said Town Planning Commission member Rick Dole, who spoke in favor of budgeting for a code enforcement officer and forming a volunteer citizen’s patrol administered by the sheriff’s office.

In a similar vein, Councilmember John Leaver read into the record correspondence from resident LeAnn Bushey alerting the panel to the presence of discarded syringes, empty alcohol bottles, general trash and perhaps human feces near a trail off Washington Street.

“Since June 16,” Dole said, following up on the Bushey letter, “there have been 11 crimes in town.”

Having a code enforcement officer, it was pointed out, would help deter property from being trashed and littered and lead to more rapid clean-ups.

Madeleine Roozen, a Second Street resident, offered that many communities have seen an uptick in property crime rates and homelessness during the pandemic.

“We need to talk about a citizen’s patrol and talk about COVID-19 and what it’s done with homelessness,” she said.

Jim Matthews, who resides on North Third Street, shifted the conversation to speeding traffic and pedestrian safety issues on the heavily traveled route to and from the Port of Skagit’s La Conner Marina.

“There are teenagers on skateboards who cross the street without looking,” Matthews said. “I see it happen a lot. The Town might well have a liability. It’s a problem.”

Councilmembers responded by taking action to ease those traffic-related problems plus others identified on Maple Avenue. They agreed unanimously – Councilman Jacques Brunisholz was absent – to install two permanent digital traffic speed warning signs on each street.

“I’m so glad to see this happen,” Councilmember Bill Stokes said after the vote was taken. “I’m glad to see this finally happening. We’ve been talking about these signs for years.”

Council opted for fixed signs, based on costs, rather than mobile units mounted on trailers, as the sheriff’s office had recommended.

Town Public Works Director Brian Lease estimated two permanent speed deterrent signs can be installed for just under $10,000, half the cost of mobile sign systems without the need to relocate them.

“For under $20,000, we can have four (permanent signs),” said Mayor Ramon Hayes, who reminded councilmembers that it was North Third Street resident Alex Free who had initially raised the speeding traffic safety issue with Town officials.

“Please, Council,” Hayes pleaded, “consider putting them on North Third, too.”

That plea was heard, as was a reminder by Stokes that the Town already has one mobile sign

“It doesn’t have to be an either/or situation,” said Stokes. “The problem is along some streets where there isn’t enough space to park (a mobile sign trailer).”

“I would like to see us do both,” said Councilmember MaryLee Chamberlain. “That would give us some flexibility.”

In the end, that is the route the Council took.