Town of Jay Registered Voters are asked to attend Special Town Meeting on Tues., Jan 12, 2016, 6:30, Jay Town Hall to reconsider the Town of Jay Traffic Ordinance signed by the Jay Select Board on Oct 19, 2015. 5% of the registered voters of Jay signed a petition to reconsider the ordinance as it stands. State Law dictates that when a petition against an ordinance comes to the Select Board, a special town meeting must be called.
A NO Vote means you DO NOT want to vote DOWN the Ordinance as it stands, you are rejecting the petition.
A YES Vote means you DO WANT to vote DOWN (reject) the ordinance.
The Traffic Ordinance considers two separate issues: 1. Changing the speed limit on Jay town roads (which do not include State Roads i.e. 242 & 105) to 35 mph. Without an ordinance it is 50 mph as dictated by VT State Law.
2. No Parking on roads where vehicles could impede emergency and town of Jay road maintenance vehicles which includes Fire, Ambulance, Snow Plowing, Sanding, Flooding and Road Maintenance. It is not intended to stop vehicles from parking on a road for special occasions (parties, Town events, hunting season).
Some residents came to SB meetings questioning the need for an ordinance due to: cost of signage (road signage costs are budgeted into the SB budget annually as required for road maintenance by the State of VT); loss of civil rights; the SB has agenda to once again put the Orleans Sheriff’s Dept on 2016 Town Meeting Agenda; and at least one resident wants his road to be lower than 35 mph, perhaps 25 or 15 mph. State law dictates that motorists use care when driving, a road marked at 35 mph does not mean you have to go 35 mph. Road and/or weather conditions might dictate a lower speed. Common sense should be the norm; SB members & Town Clerk have had emails and phone calls from residents complaining about speeders, they are afraid to walk or bike whether individually or in groups, and fear for the safety of their children and pets. Our town roads have multiple uses in our rural area, just not motorized vehicles.
The Select Board started discussing the need for town of Jay road speed limits at the Select Board meetings in the summer of 2014. The original discussions broke down roads into two categories 35mph and 25 mph. Discussions were tabled due to the fact that all roads designated at 25 mph would need traffic studies at a cost to the town. NVDA may do a few traffic studies via a grant but not all roads. In the summer of 2015 after more complaints from towns’ people regarding speeders on town roads the SB began once again discussing a Traffic Ordinance. It was decided to do all roads at 35 mph.
The Jay/Westfield Elementary School wrote and was awarded a State of VT Transportation Grant regarding signage & speed limit on Revoir Flats. They were awarded the grant with the provision that the town of Jay adopt a speed ordinance. VTrans did a traffic survey and decided 35 mph was sufficient. Grant also includes safety signage for both school and fire dept.
Please come to this Special Town Meeting, every votes counts.