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By Phoebe Muthart, InkFreeNews

Residents Address North Webster Town Council About Speeders

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NORTH WEBSTER – Residents voiced concerns about speeding in two neighborhoods during the North Webster Town Council meeting Tuesday.
Several residents told council members that speeding has become a problem on Crystal Flash Road, also known as CR 650W. They said vehicles regularly exceed the 20 miles per hour speed limit while entering and leaving town.
Town Marshal Greg Church said the department is aware of the issue.
“I’ve gotten calls,” Church said. “We’ve written tickets. We do our best, and we will continue to patrol it.”
Church said an electronic speed sign was previously placed in the area to collect traffic data.
“It collected data for us,” he said. “We were surprised. It didn’t record as many speeders as we expected, but the sign does slow them down.”
Church said he will request another portable speed sign from the county and place it in the area. He also plans to work with Utilities Manager Mike Noe to install additional speed limit signs.
He said officers will increase patrols on Crystal Flash Road and requested funding for a permanent electronic speed sign, estimated to cost about $5,000, in next year’s budget.
Resident Heather Cooper also addressed the council about speeding on Huntington Street near her home.
Church said officers will increase patrols there as well. Noe said the town will install a 20 mph speed limit sign and plans to purchase solar-powered speed feedback signs that display drivers’ speeds and flash when motorists exceed the limit.
Another resident asked the town to discourage property owners from blowing or mowing grass clippings onto roadways, saying the debris creates a hazard for motorcyclists. Officials said the town does not currently have an ordinance prohibiting the practice.
Church also presented the police department’s June report. Officers logged 771 hours, drove 3,418 miles and used 299.09 gallons of fuel.
The department responded to 266 calls for service, including 13 fights, battery or domestic-related incidents, one criminal mischief call, five theft or fraud calls, one drug-related call, two alcohol-related calls, 48 traffic-related calls, six accidents, 34 lockouts and 15 assists to fire or EMS agencies.
Utilities Manager Mike Noe said valve parts are needed for equipment at the wastewater treatment plant. He said the town also anticipates replacing pumps that are about 40 years old because replacement parts are no longer available. He will obtain cost estimates.
Noe also reported signs commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary have been ordered and will be installed in the near future around town.
He said the town’s high-grass notices have been effective, with property owners mowing their lawns more regularly.
Alan Frank, representing the Senior Primelife Enrichment Center, thanked the council for its continued support. The town has traditionally contributed $10,000 annually to the center, and the organization is requesting the same amount for 2027. Its projected 2027 budget is $34,900.
Frank said an average of 607 people use the senior center. In 2025, the center served 4,041 lunches, averaging about 337 meals per month.
In other business, the council approved an on-call engineering agreement with Commonwealth Engineers for services on an as-needed basis at a cost of $5,000.
The next council meeting will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the North Webster Community Center.