As a small business owner and taxpaying resident of the Norwood community for over 27 years I would like my opinion known on the possible closing of Butler Street for the Marietta College Campus.

For the past 27 years I have navigated on a daily basis the Butler Street crossing through the Marietta College Campus. It is extremely obvious to me the inconvenience the closing of this street will put upon me. There are times when this route of travel has been the only way for me to get downtown or home from my shop at the end of the long days I often put in there.

I grew up in Athens, Ohio, home to Ohio University. There are at least 10 times the number of college students meandering the very expansive College Campus in Athens daily. To my knowledge the city of Athens has not determined it to be advantageous to the safety of their young adults or any other reason to close public right through their campus.

If safety is an issue then pedestrian responsibility should be part of the orientation provided to young adults as they begin their college days in our town. As far as I am aware there have been no known incidents where a student or another pedestrian on the Marietta College Campus has been hurt due to street traffic.

I wish to go on record for being against this action being considered by Marietta City Council.

Anthony Baldwin

Marietta