MINUTES
HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMITTEE
July 24, 2012
Members present:Kenneth Capelle, Steve Gueths, Bob Heldt, George Lenzner, Grant Bystol, Mike Panosh, Jeff Heffernon, Pat Trinko, and Steve Krueger
Members absent:John Gutho, Steve Haskell, Gregory Parker, Judge William Kussel, Scott Kroening, Jim Schoenhofen, and Tony Kordus
Others present: Dana Ritchie, Mike Druckrey, Lee Pulaski
Location & Time: James Stoltenow Training Room at 10:00am
1. Capelle called the meeting to order at 10:00am.
2. ELECTIONS – Capelle requested a nomination for Chairperson. Lenzner made a motion to nominate Capelle, second by Trinko. No other nominations. All in favor and motion carried.
Capelle requested a nomination for Vice Chairperson. Lenzner made a motion to nominate Gueths, second by Bystol. No other nominations. All in favor and motion carried.
Capelle requested a nomination for Secretary. Capelle made a motion to nominate Lenzner, second by Gueths. No other nominations. All in favor and motion carried.
3. Motion by Bystoland second byLenzner to approve minutes of meeting on April 24, 2012. All in favor and motion carried.
4. Citizen Comments- none
5. Status of area highway construction projects- Bystol advised that County Hwy A from County Hwy U to Kroenke Creek Rd will be open next week. County A project is completed. There will be misc concrete repair and bridge maintenance done on Highway 29 with lane closures. Bystol asked that State Patrol and Sheriff’s Office stop by when in the area to help with slowing traffic.
6. WisDOT Safety Initiative- 2012 Rumble Strip Retro Fit Projects- Heldt provided a map of Wisconsin and the areas where rumble strips will for added. Information was provided that rumble strips will be on the center line and edge line of the roads. Noise should not be an issue in these areas unless vehicles deviate from their lane of travel.
7. Old Business- Capelle asked that Heldt check on the status of the County BE and Highway 22 project. Heldt will relay his findings to the committee.
8. New Business- Lenzner advised that there are concerns with intersection Hwy 156 and Hwy 55 and people not stopping for the stop sign there. There have been numerous accidents and citations issued there in connection to vehicles not stopping. Heldt and Bystol advised that they will look into changing signage in that area to better alert the public to stop.
Panosh advised that Wisconsin is up in fatalities for 2012 and also up in motorcycle fatalities. Three newer model PBTs were issued to the Sheriff’s Department from the DMV. Enforcement grants will be given to the Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office.
9. Accident Review- No fatalities in the county since last meeting. There have been 998 accidents in Shawano County for 2012 and 1214 at this time in 2011. There have been 101 OWI arrests in Shawano County for 2012 and 112 at this time in 2011.
Police Department had two fatality accidents since last meeting. One on June 23, 2012 where one vehicle failed to yield and collided with another vehicle. The other accident on July 16, 2012 where a motorcycle collided with a car. The driver of the motorcycle and the passenger both had fatal injuries. Alcohol was not a factor in either crash.
10. Safety Issues- Capelle mentioned the increase in car and deer crashes recently. Visibility is obstructed because of the overgrowth in medians and ditch lines. Gueths made a motion for Bystol to send a letter to Madison DOT asking that they look at the increase in car and deer accidents in our county when considering funding for maintaining the ditch lines, second by Capelle. All in favor and motion carried.
11. Schedule next meeting date- Next meeting will be held onOctober 23, 2012 at 10:00am.
12. Motion byHeffernon and second byLenzner to adjourn. All in favor. Motion carried. 11:04am.
Submitted by:
George Lenzner
Secretary