TRANQUILLE DIAL TONE NOT SILENCED

The head of a North Shore safety-patrol group thinks city council is
making a big mistake by not removing a problematic payphone.

The North Shore Citizens Safety Patrol had been asking for the
removal of the phone, at 480 Tranquille Rd. in the parking lot of the
Total Pet store, arguing it is being used by drug users and
prostitutes to make drug deals.

The city's social planning council recommended a curfew for the phone
from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., which would only allow it to be used for
emergency purposes.

But, this week, council decided to leave the phone as is - a move
that Betty Nelson, the coordinator of the safety patrol, doesn't understand.

Nelson is disappointed with council's decision and suggested the
group will now have to spend more time keeping an eye on the area
around the phone.

"It makes absolutely no sense to me," she told KTW. "I don't believe
they considered all the facts and I don't believe they did what was
in the best interest of the taxpaying businesses and taxpaying
residents on Tranquille in that particular area."

Nelson is also stunned city council would go against its own social
planning council.

She called the planning council's recommendation "a good compromise."

Coun. Tina Lange said she has heard from residents who want the phone
to stay, noting people still need the service in the evening.

"I don't think removing a phone removes activity that is
undesirable," she said.

Lange said it wouldn't be fair to area businesses that would have to
deal with more people asking to sue their phones.

Other councillors agreed, as did Mayor Peter Milobar, who echoed
Lange is opining that removing the phone would not stop criminal activity.

Milobar said having the occasional phone along Tranquille Road is not
unreasonable.

In light of the decision, Nelson said she will be in contact with the
social planning council to determine what other options are available.