Christine Wait asked the board at last week's aldermanic meeting to bump the speed limit from 20 to 30 mph on about three-tenths of a mile, at the Highway 47 intersection and ending at the entrance of the Ashland Meadows subdivision. Wait lives farther down Ash Road and said other neighbors are in favor of her request. The area "is bare of no houses or residential or commercial businesses," Wait told the board. However, others are opposed to the request. Elise Morris, who lives on Ash Road, also attended last week's meeting and said she opposes an increase in the speed limit. She added that since there are no sidewalks along Ash Road, residents walk on the road. "We all have children playing in the street," Morris remarked. "We do a lot of walking." Mayor Greg Costello, noting the majority of requests made are to lower the speed limit, said a survey should be done before the request is approved or denied. He asked the police department to survey what the typical speed is driven in the area. He also wanted to get a response from more residents who would be affected by the change. "It makes sense for us to give a look," Costello said. Other News * Aldermen unanimously approved an identity theft prevention program designed to detect fraud and to keep information secure within the city. A customer may be required to show several pieces of identification to verify the individual's identity. Security procedures in place to keep records from being breached include locking information in file cabinets and having password-activated screen savers. An annual report is expected to be submitted to aldermen updating them of the program's effectiveness and any other related matters, according to details forwarded to the board. * The board approved the hiring of police officers Joey Nickles and Eric Barthold. Both will be paid $15.60 an hour. Also hired Tuesday night was Richard Murphy as a part-time code enforcement officer. He will work 20 hours a week and be paid $12 an hour. * Aldermen also approved hiring Lewis-Bade Inc. for engineering services related to road improvements on Hickory Lick Road and Jaspering Lane. Michelle Schlenther, economic development director, said the cost estimate for road improvements is needed for a community development block grant she is attempting to obtain for the city. Schlenther said the city will be billed hourly but the total cost won't exceed $2,000.