Bigosinski Petitions for Crossing Guard at Hyslip and First

Fourth Ward Councilman Tom Bigosinski sent a petition to his colleagues on the Thursday, requesting a crossing guard at the intersection of Hyslip Avenue and First Street.

The petition, signed by 48 residents, says that a crossing guard is needed at the intersection because of the high amount of young children walking to and from nearby McKinley Elementary School. Those on the petition live in the vicinity of the intersection.

"I have either walked or driven past that intersection during school hours and believe that a crossing guard is needed," the petition reads. "Elementary school age children frequently come from a number of directions to cross either Hyslip or First, since the nearby McKinley School has two separate entrances (one off of Pierson Street, and one that fronts Osborne Street) to which children are drawn."

Bigosinski said the public safety committee has briefly discussed the issue in the past. He said the decision to petition for the crossing guard came after discussions with a crossing guard who lives near the intersection, but works in another part of town, and with Nancy Csorba, a resident of the neighborhood. Bigosinski said that as he knocked on doors for his reelection campaign, the issue was brought up. The Democrat is facing a challenge from Republican Keith Loughlin in next month's election.

"Cars tend to speed on First Street because it is uncontrolled (that is, no STOP signs) for a long stretch between Rahway Avenue and Scotch Plains Avenue," Bigosinski wrote in an e-mail to Westfield Patch regarding the issue. "A great number of children who walk or bike to McKinley pass through the area."

Bigosinski said he worked with Csorba to draft and circulate a petition to gauge formal support from residents of the neighborhood on the crossing guard issue. It is unclear when the public safety committee will next address the issue, but Bigosinski mentioned in an e-mail to his colleagues on the committee that Police Chief John Parizeau mentioned to the committee that he may have someone from his department look into the issue before the committee's next meeting.

Bigosinski is hoping to use the petition as a way to bring a crossing guard to the intersection.

"What I am attempting to accomplish is relying on good old fashioned democracy and community organization to deliver much-needed government services to a neighborhood that could really use it," he said.