Schwartz won’t yield on adding stop signs

by Mike Fitzgerald

You could say that there is no stopping Wendi Schwartz. When it comes to stop signs, that is. Schwartz, the owner of Café on Pine and a Pinedale resident, addressed the Town Council and representatives of the Sublette County Sheriff’s Department on Monday night over her pet peeve: drivers who ignore Yield signs in Pinedale.

She read a letter on the subject (see page 7A) that asked if the Town Council had studied a plan to add stop signs and speed limit signs to various locations off of Pine Street. “It has been discussed, but has yet to be approved,” said Mayor Steve Smith, who was joined in the night’s voting by council members Dave Hohl and Chris House. Gary Heuck and Nylla Kunard were absent.

Schwartz also reiterated that stop signs and speed limits were needed and said that current signs took too long to be reposted after a windstorm a few weeks ago. Finally, she added that the sheriff’s department needs to have a patrol car or two out for traffic violations daily.

Undersheriff Jim Whinnery said that two officers per shift, day and night, were dedicated to traffic patrol in Pinedale and that he had met with Schwartz to discuss specific corners.

Schwartz said the day patrol was “about an hour and 15 minutes too late” to be effective against early morning speeders on their way to work.

“I think you should put up stop signs instead of the extra manpower,” she said. “We’re only talking five or six on each side of Pine in key places.” “Enforcement is a key part of the process,” Hohl added.

Whinnery said he has listed the problematic intersections in his report to the patrol officers and said the sheriff’s department will continue to watch for drivers not yielding or speeding on side streets.

In other Town Council meeting news:

— Whinnery said that March was a “busy” month and that two new deputies will be hired soon. He also said that a serial burglar, a juvenile, was caught after footprints in the snow led them to his home.

— Airport manager Jim Parker said that new hangar construction projects “are going very well.”

— Municipal Judge Ruth Neely said that 56 tickets had been issued by the end of March, with 26 of those parking tickets. “The Sheriff’s department is doing very well with parking,” she said.

— Animal control officer Julie Early said she sold $270 worth of dog tags and will soon have her cell phone fixed.

— Ron Hanson, public works, received council permission to hire two part-timers for the summer.

— Mayor’s Assistant Lauren McKeever reported on a variety of important meetings, including with the state Congressional delegation, the BLM and the Business Alliance in Casper. The council also passed a motion to designate May 17 as Arbor Day in Pinedale, which will feature a variety of activities including tree plantings.

— Planning and Zoning director Megan Jacquet reported on a number of positive developments for the city’s impact fee study and possible implementation down the road.

— Maureen Hutchison proposed the formation of a Red Cross disaster action team, which would especially help home fire victims.

— Several local groups and agencies submitted funding requests to the Town Council.