Stop signs coming to more city railroad crossings

GREENCASTLE -- With CSX Railroad raising its speed limit in Greencastle from 10 to 25 mph, the city is taking steps to erect stop signs at four more non-signaled crossings.

The Greencastle Common Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to put up eight new stop signs during its special meeting Tuesday evening.

The railroad crossings at Barnaby Mill Road, Liberty Street, Columbia Street and Gillespie Street will soon have stops from each direction.

Once the ordinance passes second reading at the Sept. 9 meeting, the new signs will take effect.

The council also passed the first reading of the 2010 salary ordinance for city employees. Across the board, employees will be seeing little or no pay increase.

This theme also pervaded the budget hearings at Tuesday's meeting, as tight budgets mean little to no increase in department budgets. Some of the notable increases were for vehicle and equipment repair in various departments. However, the increase in repairs springs from the inability to purchase new cars, trucks and other equipment.

"It's scary, but there's nothing we can do. We're flatlining and pouring money into repairs," said Council President Adam Cohen.

The council also passed the second reading of an ordinance regarding landscaping standards for commercial zones and an ordinance declaring the area around the intersection of Jackson and Hanna streets a school zone.