| Today's Feature Butterball Traffic Concern.
Butterball Director of Human
Resources Bill Travis met with the Public Safety
Committee last week to discuss traffic problems
at their Main Street plant. According to Travis
the biggest difficulty is the brief periods of
congestion caused by food vendors who park near
the exits and employees who purchase their
products.
Butterball employees
approximately 800 at the Main Street plant of
which 500 work the day shift. Seventy-five
percent of the employees are Hispanic, according
to Travis.
Travis said as many as three
vendors may be present at the same time. A
possible solution proposed would be to have the
yellow no-parking zone extended to all but 50-60
feet on the west side of Main Street in front of
the office. The proposed area would allow enough
space for two vendors to parallel park. Travis
said that most of the day shift employees break
for lunch at the same time and a maximum of 220
employees take breaks together.
Employees interviewed by the Mornin’
Mail see additional factors contributing to
the problem. They said the congestion and double
parking is more likely at shift change when
families are picking up employees or bringing
them to work. They say the food vendors park away
from employee exits and in properly marked areas.
They also say the vendors work a type of shift
pattern. According to employees they like the
vendors because they sell cold drinks and freshly
made food. Also it’s a convenience because
it’s possible for night shift workers to
order a breakfast such as Huevos Rancheros to
take home in the morning.
Employees say the first vendor
arrives around 5:30 A.M. and departs after lunch.
A second and third vendor arrives later in the
morning and leave after the afternoon employee
break. Vendors return for the night shift dinner
and breaks and leave at approximately 1 A.M. the
next morning, but do not return again until first
shift arrives.
Mornin’ Mail
visited the area in question and observed double
parking by trucks waiting to get into the loading
dock area, one food vendor who was legally
parked, and through traffic before talking to
Butterball drivers. According to the truckers
food vendors park away from the loading area and
pose no problems for trucks entering or exiting
the docks.
One driver spoke at great
length about the general congestion caused by the
large amount of trucks in that area during the
day. Schreiber and Inland Product trucks
contribute to the congestion also.
The driver said the employee
congestion he observed at the plant entrances
during shift changes was minimal. But, careless
drivers, imprudent driving, and speeds unsafe for
conditions were his biggest concerns.
"We have our flashing
lights on, horns blaring, turn signals on and be
backing up slowly into the Main Street loading
docks. Drivers come busting through anyway. I
don’t know if they don’t know any
better or if they just like to live dangerously.
I’m scared to death there will be a bad
accident. Trying to turn left from Main Street to
reach the other docks isn’t any easier.
Drivers do the same thing and they drive through
here way too fast."
The drivers wish list included
loading zone signs posted around the dock area, a
reduced speed area, no passing zone, and a
clearly marked street crossing for pedestrians.
"People come at us from
all directions when they’re crossing the
street. It’s scary. We do everything we can
to warn pedestrians and drivers, we use our
lights and horns, but if we’re involved in
an accident we can lose our jobs, said one
employee."
When contacted by Mornin’
Mail, Bill Travis replied that from his
prospective the largest traffic problem occurred
during the day at lunch break and a shift change.
He cited one instance where two
women double parked side by side across from a
vendor and left their vehicles to purchase food.
"The vehicles were three
deep in the street that day," Travis said.
"Our drivers are essentially correct. We do
have truck and foot traffic problems we would
like to resolve. The biggest part is enforcement
of all the rules. I don’t know the outcome
(of the discussion with the Safety Committee) but
what ever it is I hope it is enforced. We’ve
had this problem for several years. I’d like
to see the pedestrian crossing restriped and
enforced. Employee safety is a big concern."
Commentary
Martin "Bubs" Hohulin
State Representative, District 26
If you are a
regular reader of this column you know that I
rarely write about the abortion issue. That is
one of those issues that nobody’s mind is
going to be changed on. My district is moderately
pro-life but it certainly isn’t
overwhelming. I am pro-life and have never left
any doubt about where I stand on the issue.
Having said that, an
overwhelming majority of my district and indeed,
of the whole state is opposed to the procedure
that has become known as partial birth abortion.
I am sure you know about it by now. In short, a
viable baby is pulled feet first through the
birth canal, the skull is pierced, and the
brained is removed with a vacuum. If that makes
you queasy, it should. It is a very barbaric
procedure. If the same thing were done to an
animal, you could be facing felony animal abuse.
Anyway, we passed a bill in the
Legislature this year outlawing this action. Even
though the votes were overwhelmingly in favor of
outlawing this procedure, (127-29 in the House
and 27-6 in the Senate), I was amazed there was
anyone that stood up for this awful attack on
innocent life.
Governor Mel Carnahan said he
would veto this bill and last week he did just
that. In a closed ceremony in his office he
arranged what amounted to a pro-choice rally with
cheering people wearing buttons that said Thank
You Mel.
I guess that is his business
and it came as no surprise. What really bothered
me was the fact that he brought in small children
for the signing ceremony and used them for a
photo op. Is it just me or is there something
terribly wrong about using small children at a
function that is the ultimate insult to children?
Just in the past few weeks Gov.
Carnahan appointed a task force to look at ways
to prevent school violence in the wake of the
events of Littleton CO. At this event he made
mention of the fact of how precious and fragile
life is and how we need to do all we can to
protect it. There is no life more precious and
fragile than that of an innocent baby. I guess if
you are Gov. Carnahan, the level of precious and
fragile is directly tied to campaign
contributions. What a way to run the State.
As usual, I can be reached at
House Post Office, State Capitol, Jefferson City
MO 65101, or 1-800-878-7126, or
mhohulin@services.state.mo.us for your questions,
comments or advice.
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