Health center, traffic also hot-button topics last week

During their meeting last week, the Windsor Unified School
District Board of Trustees and the Town Council finally put aside
their discussion of school sites – for now – and moved on to cover
a half-dozen other topics.
Some of these issues came to the table as a result of Town
growth, notably school-area traffic and health care needs. But
others, such as teen activities, are old problems that every
community deals with.
Health Center
Superintendent Steve Herrington expressed an interest in working
with the Town to develop health and medical resources for
socio-economically disadvantaged sections of the population. The
Teen Parent program provides some of this at Windsor Oaks Academy
(located at the high school), and a well-baby and family clinic has
been proposed for an expanded site near Cali Calmécac Charter
School.
But public access would be limited. An off-school site would be
a better option, but that would probably require funds for
acquisition, construction, or build-out of an existing
facility.
&#8220We hear from our kids,” Trustee Sandra Dobbins said.
Some &#8220have dysfunctional families, they have issues with
substance abuse, their parents have issues with substance abuse –
there’s only so much the schools can or should do.”
Any solution would involve &#8220vendors” – companies and
organizations, such as Kaiser Permanente or Alliance Medical in
Healdsburg – who would actually provide the medical or
psychological services. Funding would be available through a
variety of available mechanisms.
&#8220To improve student performance,” Herrington said,
&#8220we need to get the entire child’s health and well-being
taken care of, and that, to us, is a community concern, a Town
concern.”
Aquatic Center. David Kelley, Windsor’s acting director of
economic development, reviewed progress towards building a Town
aquatic center. A recent survey indicated a popular preference for
a two-pool configuration, to be built at Keiser Park. One pool
would be for lap-swimming and competitions – 25 meters long and 25
yards wide (Olympic length is 50 meters). The other would be a
recreational pool, featuring &#8220zero-depth entry,” water
slides, and other amenities for children. Keiser Park is contiguous
with the high school, so student swimmers could walk to the pool.
Currently, students travel to Healdsburg to swim.
In any case, the school and Town would enter into an agreement
for joint use, with the school district paying for some costly pool
maintenance.
Mayor Sam Salmon suggested some planning pitfalls that might
happen with the school district. &#8220If we go down the road
and build too small a pool and (the school district) wanted a
bigger pool – or if we build a bigger pool and the school district
(can’t pay) for the extra maintenance – that’s not going to be
doable.”
Town Councilmembers have also expressed a preference to figure
out how to handle a major funding shortfall to the Windsor Fire
Protection District, before committing to an aquatic center. A
feasibility study for the fire district is expected to be completed
and presented to the Town Council in May.
School Traffic. Town Engineer Richard Burtt discussed a joint
project started in January to improve pedestrian safety at Windsor
High School, the Middle School and Cali Calmécac. Crosswalks were
repainted with wide diagonal stripes to be more recognizable ti
drivers. One traffic signal is currently needed at Cali, Burtt
said, but not at other schools. The congestion in the areas only
occurs twice a day and is so bad that speeding cars are not a
problem, he said. Lighted crosswalks may be added in the future at
the high school.
Another idea that has already been planned and funded is paving
Jaguar Lane, which is located to the immediate north of the high
school, from Windsor Road to Starr Road. This could redirect some
traffic off of Windsor Road, but the project is not scheduled until
2009.
After-school activities for youth. Town Manager Mullan spoke
about the success and growth of the Windsor Boys and Girls Club,
which is located on Town-owned land. &#8220It’s the
highest-enrolled Boys and Girls Club in the county,” Mullan said.
&#8220And I believe it – every time I go by there it’s just
packed with kids.” The Town has approved construction of a second
gymnasium there, along with two classrooms, at a cost of $1.5
million. Only about two-thirds of the project is funded, but the
goal is to complete construction by September, according to
Kelley.
Superintendent Herrington gave a rundown on all the after-school
activities: more than 70 school sports teams, peer-helping, theater
arts, music, chorus, drill team, academic-intervention tutorials,
gymnastics, art and others. On any given afternoon,
&#82201,750-plus students are engaged in school activities from
3 o’clock to 6 o’clock,” he said.
Teen Center. Of mutual concern to the Town and the school
district is where teenagers can go in the evenings. The Town’s Teen
Center, located within Huerta Gymnasium, is only open Monday
through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Fudge said that Cafe Noto, on the
Town Green, could be &#8220a natural place” for teens to gather
in the evening. The cafe’s owner &#8220doesn’t think he has
enough business to stay open past 4,” she said. Fudge suggested
teens could go to him and recommend musical entertainment and other
attractions.