From Martha Knapp <elev8296@nullearthlink.net>

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

School starts this week and we welcome another year of operation at the Gold Hill School, a real treasure to our community!  I ask that you please remember this as you come into town from the west and drive through town from the east. Our children are precious, as are town elders and our pets.

The school and the west end of town in general are a magnet for all kinds of activity, from early in the morning until after dusk. Please, please, please, drive carefully at all times. Please stop at the stop sign and please slow your car down to 15 mph. Trust me, there is a huge noticeable difference between 15 and 20 mph!

I know some of you think the stop sign is just window dressing to the town and you may consistently do a “Hollywood” stop (slowing down a little but rolling right through without looking) and some of you just plain whiz through it like you have no care in the world. As well, many of you fail to slow down as you drive through town. Why this happens I don’t know, but it is unfriendly and unsafe.

Why stop at the sign? Because it gives you an opportunity to take a deep breath and de-stress, to really, truly look about you (children and pets can dart into the road faster than you can say boo) and to take a moment to realize how important our little town is. It will help slow your car to the proper speed limit  to avoid toddlers, youngsters, people, pets, road hazards, and reduce unwanted dust. And, it’s the law.

Let’s all be respectful and applaud safety first in our beautiful historic little town.

Thank you with appreciation,
Martha Knapp