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WEIMAR CITY COUNCIL
A Weimar resident raised concerns over walkability in Weimar to city council members and the prospect of the city investing in a sports complex at their recent meeting last Thursday, Oct. 17.
Dr. Jorge Bucha, a telemedicine doctor who has lived in Weimar for over 34 years, spoke to members of the council during the citizens presentation portion, over the idea of the city utilizing the 19 acres available to them to build a sports complex, and the lack of walkability in Weimar due to a shortage of sidewalks.
Bucha made quick work of his sports complex suggestion but went into detail about his concerns over the lack of sidewalks for residents to walk on throughout Weimar, resulting in residents walking on streets and roads.
“I wish that all of us who live in this town could be free to just step out, up, out on the street, and not in the street, but on the sidewalk, a sidewalk that is level,” said Bucha. “So it would be easy for someone my age, let’s say to go and walk to the store or walk to the post office or walk to visit a friend, instead of thinking, “well, how am I going to get from point A to point B? It could be only the three blocks or five blocks, but we don’t have sidewalks.”
Bucha further emphasizes the cause for concern over walkability in Weimar, stressing caution when walking without an adequate sidewalk due to the influx of cars driving through.
“You have to be careful with cars driving through,” said Bucha. “This is our town. We don’t have to serve anybody else. We have to serve ourselves so that we can make our town better for us, for our health and walking is one of those things that we need to do from the time that we’re born until we die, and we have to make it so that our town can allow us to do that in a way that is safe and that is enjoyable. We have a beautiful town, and I don’t know how much it’s going to cost, but it’s worth the money.”
Council also revisited a temporary 60-day agreement made with SAFEbuilt, a community development services firm to handle Weimar’s code enforcement, fire marshal and building services duties.
The company previously spoke to council members in a meeting back in August giving a presentation about the benefits they bring as an entity and organization handling city duties such as code enforcement among many others.
City manager Richard Whitten also gave updates to council members about Tesla charging stations that are set to be installed in due time, at the McDonalds in Weimar and the Loves gas station.
