Charleston Mayor Dan Cougill agreed the Fourth Street crosswalk should be moved closer to the Student Recreation Center.

Student Body President Caleb Judy and Executive Vice President Bill Davidson met with Charleston Mayor Dan Cougill for the first time Friday to discuss the topic and other issues affecting the university.

The 4th St. crosswalk is currently located by the Booth Library parking lot between Coleman Hall and the McKinney/Ford/Weller Halls.

“We agreed that the crosswalk should be placed closer to the Recreation Center because that area is frequented by more students,” Davidson said.

The crosswalk consists of two yellow crosswalk signs accompanied by flashing lights.

“We’re going to move the flashing lights to the corner by the softball field,” Davidson said.

Because more students cross 4th St. at the corner of the softball field as opposed to near the library parking lot, Davidson said the new placement of the crosswalk will help students cross the busy street more efficiently.

“It’s going to be moved,” Davidson said.

If everything goes as planned, Davidson said the project will be completed by the end of the semester.

“That’s what we’re hoping for,” he said.

The meeting was also meant to introduce the mayor to Judy and Davidson’s positions in the Student Government, Judy said.

“We discussed issues dealing with the city and the university,” Davidson said. “The purpose of this meeting was to get back on track with how the city can help out the student body and how the student body can help out the city.”

Davidson said extending Charleston’s bar age, something also discussed with the mayor, can better the lives of Eastern students.

“We had preliminary discussions on keeping the liquor establishments open longer,” Davidson said.

“Everyone always wants the bars open later,” Judy said. “In other college towns the bars are usually open later.”

Charleston bars are currently permitted to sell liquor until 1 a.m.

“Right now, we’re just discussing possibilities with the city,” Davidson said. “Probably 2 (a.m.) would be more likely than 3 (a.m.),” he said in regard to possible new bar hours.

Bars at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign can now serve alcohol until 2 a.m.

Davidson said Champaign-Urbana’s extended hours for selling liquor did not influence the decision to seek similar action for Charleston’s bar scene.

“Mine and president Judy’s constituents would want us to pursue such an initiative,” Davidson said. “This is something we’ve been wanting to do for a while.”

Judy and Davidson both said they plan to meet with Mayor Cougill again in the next few weeks.