A child chasing a ball and injured in an accident on County Road 466A last summer prompted Wildwood officials to call for warning lights at a crosswalk near a pre-kindergarten center.
But Sumter County officials disagree, saying that existing signage is adequate. They have jurisdiction over the county road.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold reported on the dispute Tuesday at a meeting of the Sumter County Board.
The accident occurred at Wildwood’s Pleasantdale Drive, a few blocks east of the pre-kindergarten center at Old Wire Road.
Heavy traffic and the accident caused Wildwood Police Chief Ed Reeser to suggest the warning lights.
“I have worked school zones for over 30 years and have grave concerns about the crosswalk,” Reeser wrote in an email to an official of the Sumter County School District. ”I would like to see pedestrian crosswalks warning lights.”
Reeser told the Wildwood City Commission on Monday night that the school district has agreed to pay for the yellow flashing lights, which would be activated by pedestrians to warn drivers of their presence.
Richard Baier, Sumter County public works director and deputy county administrator, said the warning lights are not needed.
“My findings are there are no signage or marking deficiencies,” Baier wrote in an Oct. 18 memo, suggesting instead that a crossing guard should be assigned to the intersection.
In other business, Sumter County commissioners paid a fond farewell to Commissioner Don Hahnfeldt, who is unopposed for District 33 state representative on the Nov. 8 election ballot. He has served as commissioner since November 2011 and as board chairman in 2014-15.
“I think you have been an outstanding commissioner and have worked hard for the citizens of Sumter County,” said board chairman Garry Breeden.
Hahnfeldt said it has been “an honor and a privilege” to serve and cited two surveys that show Sumter County ranks first among more than 3,000 U.S. counties on the value received by Social Security recipients.