Members of the BOE indicated that there will be a modest increase in seating in the lunch room. Any kinks in the program will be worked out during the summer, however...if the seniors do well in their classes, they earn the privilege to venture off campus.

Whatever changes the board has in mind for the cafeteria will be paid for by the 2009 budget, so we already paid for it. What thrills me, is the notion that student safety trumps convenience. I applaud the school board for placing value in such things.

I just know that starting next fall, the number of complaints from the hundreds of homes surrounding the campus will diminish. Yes, the students will still speed up and down the streets at 7:30am and 2:30pm, making your skip across the street as treacherous as usual, but we will have less activity during the hours of operation.

During my tenure as Chair of the ward Nine Watch group, the number one issue of complaint was the actions of the students. Now, the interaction between student and resident will be limited; providing less chance of altercation.

What the locals want is security, cleanliness and respect for our property as well as the satisfaction of knowing our tax dollars are spent on quality education without off campus distraction. Believe me, that's all we ask.

One final note: The Kingston School Board is not a steward of local business and should not render operational edicts based on what the local business owners desire. Economics around the campus should be of no consequence of the mission of teaching the students. If the business' around the campus provide a worthy product, they will survive without mid-day patronage from the students. Their business model should have anticipated the lack of lunch attendance some day.