At precisely 08:47 a.m. on Monday, April 15, Chesterburgh’s public works department received its third complaint in 24 hours about the malfunctioning traffic signal at the corner of Maple and Elm streets. Residents and local business owners, including Martha Jennings of Jennings Hardware, have reported “chaotic” conditions during morning rush hours, with the traffic light switching unpredictably, leading to confusion and at least two minor fender benders since Friday.

The traffic light problem isn’t new—this particular intersection has been a sore spot for drivers and pedestrians for nearly two years, but previous issues were mostly limited to slow response times for maintenance calls. What’s different now, according to internal memos obtained from a confidential source, is that the city’s budget for public works repairs has been slashed by 15 percent this fiscal year, resulting in delayed parts orders and understaffing.

Sources inside the department tell me that the controller box for the light, responsible for the timing cycles, has been failing intermittently. Mayor Linda Crenshaw was notified on Tuesday afternoon, April 16, and promised an emergency allocation of $8,500 to replace the unit and perform a full systems check. Crew chief Tony Ramirez told this reporter at 09:10 today that new parts won’t arrive for at least two more weeks due to supply chain delays.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Last Thursday, as many as 300 students from Chesterburgh High School walked through this intersection in the morning on their way to classes. Parent Jennifer Marks expressed concern about her son’s safety: “You’d think they’d have this figured out by now. It’s a miracle no one’s been seriously hurt.” Public safety office spokesperson Sgt. Darren Cole confirmed that police have increased patrols in the area between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. to help direct traffic, but acknowledged that traffic jams are lengthening emergency vehicle response times by an average of 3 minutes in the neighborhood, based on 911 dispatch logs.

Delays in emergency response have been a sore topic for some time in Chesterburgh. Last month, fire chief Angela Morales raised alarms about stretched resources and outdated equipment during a city council meeting, citing a 12 percent increase in call volume accompanied by a 9 percent decrease in staffing over the past three years. The traffic signal problem adds another layer to the pressure. According to the city’s 911 call center records, between April 10 and 17, average ambulance response times in the vicinity of downtown have increased from 6 minutes to 9 minutes.

Some residents blame the city’s ongoing infrastructure budget cuts. A review of the 2023-2024 city budget shows that despite a proposed $4.2 million allocation for infrastructure repair, only $3.5 million was approved by the city council. Councilmember Rick Albright, a vocal critic of increased spending, told me during a phone interview on April 14 that “we have to balance the books. Priorities must be set. Not every intersection can be a priority.”

Yet, some local businesses argue that ignoring issues like this hurts the community in the long run. Sandra Kent, owner of The Daily Grind café, says customers are taking their business elsewhere due to the intersection’s unpredictability. “Morning traffic is a nightmare. People get frustrated and avoid this part of town—it’s bad for all of us,” Kent said on April 15 at 7:45 a.m.

One wrinkle to this story is the recent awarding of a $120,000 contract to Chesterburgh Electric Solutions for “traffic signal optimization” projects elsewhere in the city, signed last month on March 28. A city procurement document obtained through a Freedom of Information request shows that this firm, led by CEO Phil Dawson, received no bids from other local companies. Dawson is a longtime acquaintance of Mayor Crenshaw, having donated to her campaign in 2022. Attempts to