POLAND TOWNSHIP Police: Street not a problem

One resident won't send any more petitions to council.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Township police say one resident who has complained for years about speeders and noisy cars using his street may be putting out misinformation about the extent of the problem.
The main area of concern is the two-lane stretch of North Lima Road, between Ravine Drive and Ridgeview Lane.
Archie Lagnes has lived on North Lima Road since 1972, and he's been concerned with speeding on it since the early '90s.
Lagnes collected signatures from other residents in 1992, 1994 and 1998 in an effort to stop the speeding and loud music.
Won't collect more: He will not send any more petitions to township officials because, he said, no one has satisfactorily explained why the issue is not being addressed.
"I collected names three times, and I am not going to do it anymore. Why? Because it doesn't make any difference if you do," he said.
About 50 residents signed the petition circulated in 1998.
Officer's response: Sgt. Gary Abeid said the police department is well aware of his concerns and has done everything possible to address them. The issue, said Abeid, is that speeding on that road is no greater than anywhere else in the township.
"We have responded to the complaints," said Abeid. "There is nothing there to suggest that there is that big of a problem."
Because of Lagnes' complaints and the area's heavy traffic, Abeid said officers have often boosted patrols in the area in an effort to catch speeders.
Lagnes said speeding has resulted in between seven and 10 accidents in the past decade on his road.
Abeid could not say for certain how many accidents took place on that road, but he said it is less than other high-volume streets in the township, such as U.S. Route 224.
Abeid did say township police have not investigated a single accident on North Lima in which speed was a factor. He said accidents on that road are usually the result of failure to stop for a stop sign.
Police chief's comments: Police Chief Carl Massullo, who has dealt with Lagnes on the issue for some time, also said there is no problem with speeding or other forms of reckless driving on the road.
He said Lagnes has taken inaccurate information and caused unwarranted concern.
Lagnes said he's also concerned with a number of passing cars with loud stereos, but officials say police make every effort to limit the noise.
"Do cars go by with loud stereos? Yes, it's everywhere," said Abeid, "but it is not to the point where you can stand out there and hear a lot of cars with booming stereos."
The chief invites any resident with concerns to come into the police department and look through tickets issued by officers, or sign up to ride along with an officer to observe the area in question.