HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2011-58COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTY OF KAUAI ie~oCution ~~ ~~.,-=a RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM Whereas, the health and safety of our children is of the highest concern to the citizens of Kauai and the Kauai County Council; and Whereas, a lack of physical activity plays a leading role in the rising rates of obesity and other health problems among children (and adults); and Whereas, driving students to school in private vehicles contributes to traffic congestion, safety concerns and air pollution; and Whereas, being able to walk or bicycle to school along safe routes .offers an opportunity to build healthful physical activity into daily routines so that children can arrive at school ready to learn; and Whereas, the "Safe Routes to School" programs are recognized nationally and internationally as effective ways for enabling and encouraging students to walk and bicycle safely to school; and Whereas, the "Safe Routes to School" programs require the formation of multidisciplinary task forces at each participating school to increase awareness of and support for schools and students, and several such task forces are already being formed on Kauai; and Whereas, having safer routes to and from schools can decrease pedestrian and bicycling related injuries, not just for students, but for the entire community;and Whereas, the "Safe Routes to School" programs .will strengthen a positive connection between schools and neighborhoods by creating beneficial interactions between children and adults and reducing traffic; and Whereas the County of Kauai was one of only 44 communities nationwide selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the "Communities Putting Prevention to Work" program; and Whereas, Congress has authorized $1,000,000 per year of "Safe Routes to School" funding for the State of Hawaii since the year 2005; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI STATE OF HAWAII, that the Kauai County Council hereby commends and supports Kaua`i's "Safe Routes to School" program overseen by Get Fit Kauai.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kauai County Council thanks the Mayor, the Kauai Police Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Planning Department for their dedicated support thus far of the "Safe Routes to School" program and requests their. continued support.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kauai County Council encourages scheduled maintenance of pavement and landscaping along the routes to schools.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kauai County Council supports a Get Fit Kauai "Safe Routes to .School" County team which will help with overall island coordination, planning and publicity.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kauai County Council encourages and supports the "Safe Routes to School" in applying for grants that will improve the built environment infrastructure around schools.BE FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kauai County Council urges the Governor and the Hawaii Department of Transportation to release the Federal Safe Routes to School" funding for the purposes that Congress intended.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kauai County Council calls on all who love the children of Kauai to support and participate in the "Safe Routes to School" program so that na keiki `o Kauai will be safe and healthy as they go to and from school.INTRODUCED BY:JOANN A. KIMURA V:\CS OFFICE FILES\RESOLUTIONS\2010-2012 term\reso safe routes to school JY for 5- -2011.doc)F«~R,~~a X I x X C J~.uci,Gi`i x JT,~,P~~„ti„u,X x a,x 6 0 1 0 oq ~ay.r;~.7,t~e ~i.ere~n~, cerri~n~, x~,a.C JZ,ec~,aP,i.iX,i,om. ~. 2 011- 5 8 a,,apt`~,, ~,,,a,`e, `~,,.~,~,`~., `~.w,a.~.`~., an. May 18; 2011..n May 19, 2011