The Citywide Parent Council had a very successful meeting tonight at the Pawtucketville Memorial School. Thirty-five parents, one mayor (Armand Mercier) and two school committee members (Jackie Doherty and Joe Mendonca who arrived after the Knowledge Bowl competition) were in attendance. The issue was transportation and school safety. The cut backs in busing that resulted from last springs budget cuts evoked passionate comments from many parents whose children now have to walk a mile or more along Varnum Ave and other busy streets, many of which don't have sidewalks. With justifiable concerns about the safety of their children, these parents really pressed the representatives of the school department to come up with some options that would allow more children to ride the buses. The easiest way to address this safety issue is to restore the funding necessary to allow more children to ride school buses. Hopefully, everyone will remember that during this spring's budget debate.