The recurring issue over the city bylaw banning the use of stop arms and flashing lights on school buses again came up before city council, with a delegation of bus drivers speaking in favour of repealing the bylaw.

The issue will be coming up on the agendas of both Holy Family Catholic and the Southeast Cornerstone School Divisions, which are meeting this week and next week respectively, and the city is expectant there will be consensus on the issue by the school boards by at least February.

A delegation of bus drivers, including Sandy Spencer, Garnet Schultz and Doug Probe, attended council on Monday, with Spencer taking the podium to explain why they are pressing to change the bylaw.

"The reason for our request stems from an incident while I was driving bus on Clarke Avenue about a month ago," explained Spencer, going on to narrate how a five-year-old girl excitedly got off the bus and was going to run across the street, but turned back at the last second just as a white truck sped by.

"She came within inches of death that day," she said, adding that the sad part is she cannot warn any motorists about children getting off the bus because the bylaw prohibits the use of the flashing lights and stop arm within the city.

As she pointed out, this bylaw is in spite of the fact that every school bus has a large sign on it asking motorists to stop when the red flashing lights and stop arm are extended, and in spite of every driver trainer still teaching new drivers to follow these rules. Nowhere are motorists told to slow down or stop if a bus is pulled over without any warning lights or signs in use, she said.

"A lot of drivers say they don't know what to do," said Spencer, adding when she talked to citizens about this issue, 99 per cent of them had no idea that school buses were not allowed to use their safety equipment in the city.

"The look of shock on their faces is amazing. It's ridiculous the equipment is there and it's not being used. When I explain it's not being used because traffic would be slowed down by it, they said, 'isn't that what's supposed to happen?'" said Spencer.

With the buses for Cornerstone school now transporting about 1,200 elementary students in Weyburn now, that number will only grow as the city is growing; in addition, there are over 10,000 vehicles registered in Weyburn now, and this number too will grow as the city expands, she said.

"Is it too much to ask to guard the safety of our children?" she asked.

Noting some people feel using the safety equipment gives the children a false sense of security, Spencer asked them to give bus drivers, teachers, parents and students "some credit" as they would obviously teach the children to still be mindful of safety risks when crossing the street, even if the safety equipment is in use.

"Our intent is not to lay blame, but to provoke action. There is nothing in the Traffic Act that says we need an agreement with the school boards. We say this is a city council issue, and not a school board issue, and you need to take the next step," said Spencer, noting that petitions are out around the city, and already have about 600 signatures on them.

Coun. Bill McKenzie said he was all ready to support changing the bylaw in 2002, but that the school boards in question needed to get together on the issue.

Coun. Dick Michel said he recently followed school buses from both Holy Family and Cornerstone School Divisions, and saw close calls occur with students from both school divisions when they were disembarking the school buses.

"All of us take issue with any comments that we don't care, that we want accidents to happen. We've been asking for a consensus from the school divisions," said Coun. Rob Stephanson, adding that in 24 years there has not been any fatalities, therefore many board trustees feel there is no need to change the bylaw.

He further suggested that the parents need to better educate their children on the need to be careful in crossing the street after getting off the bus, and said the two school boards can't seem to agree which is the best way to operate.

"So what do we wait for, somebody to be killed?" challenged Spencer.

"No, we wait for a consensus," responded Stephanson.

Asked if she had approached the school boards on this issue, Spencer said she hadn't because she didn't want to get involved in their issues; she feels this is a traffic bylaw issue that is governed by the city.

Mayor Debra Button, who formerly served on the separate school board, said it's important to council they know they are "doing the right thing" if they do make a major change in the bylaw. She noted the school boards are the ones with the expertise in transporting children to school, not the city, therefore it's important to have their support behind any bylaw change.

Shelley Rowein of the Holy Family School Division indicated their board will discuss the issue at their board meeting on Thursday, and enjoy "a very good relationship" with Cornerstone on most issues. They want to work with the school community councils on this issue as well, she added.

Lionel Diederichs of the Cornerstone School Division was also present, and said they also would discuss this topic, and suggested, "Often what seems to be the quick answer is often the wrong answer" to a given issue.

The request to allow the safety equipment to be used on school buses in the city has been made before, but council has always passed on the request to the school boards in question, in the hopes they can come to a consensus on the issue. The bylaw has been in place in the City of Weyburn since 1983, when provincial legislation was introduced stating that municipal councils could prohibit the use of the safety equipment if they wished.

The council of the day consulted the three school boards of the time, and they indicated then they did not want to use the flashing lights and safety arm. The school divisions were asked about the issue again in 2002, when a proposal was made to allow the use of the equipment only in non-school zones. The police vetoed the suggestion as it was felt the different rules would only lead to confusion amongst motorists.

The issue arose yet again in 2006, and city council asked the school boards to come together in a consensus about the issue, but to date no further action has taken place.

Earlier in the council meeting, a delegation from the Weyburn Oil Show Board met with council, and passed on a cheque for $60,000 from this year's Oil Show.

Board president Ron Carson first explained there are a number of improvements they would like to undertake to the exhibition grounds, and indicated the Oil Show board was willing to use proceeds from their upcoming shows in 2009 and 2011 to help pay for them.

One improvement would be to improve drainage on one side of the grounds, and to do paving at the McFadden Building. They feel 12 more outdoor booth spots can be created with these improvements, and the total cost was estimated at around $90,000.

Mayor Debra Button said the council is pleased to see the Oil Show continue on in Weyburn, and the city would be glad to see the improvements made also.

"Not only does this help the Oil Show, but it gives Weyburn the opportunity to host the show and showcase the city," said the mayor.