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Editorials
Citing myriad reasons for not wanting to consider expanding the high school parking lot, the Lancaster Central District School Board suggested the town should sign the street(s) where student parking issues are occurring, which is exactly what residents attending the joint Town and School Board work session want.
Board of Education (BOE) president Ken Graber declared that as this was a work session there would be no formal action taken. The meeting between the two boards was to gather information and seek resolve on the Shady Side Lane parking issues that residents have made known to both boards since last fall.
The school board members were recently informed by the Shady Side Lane residents that they had been before the town board on several occasions requesting their street be signed to restrict parking to only two hours between the hours of 9 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday during the school year.
According to the residents, 15 - 20 Lancaster high students were parking on both the streets, blocking driveways, trespassing through yards, littering, playing loud music, using profanities, getting into altercations and fights, egging houses and making it impossible for emergency vehicles to travel the street.
Councilman Ruffino addresses the school board
Councilman Ron Ruffino told the school board that Captain Rick Zuppelli, Lancaster Police Department, and he had visited the site on numerous occasions. Although he had personally spoken to a few students on their trespassing through yards, he found most students to be orderly.
Ruffino declared that through the monitoring done by Zuppelli, he felt that signing the street, as requested by the Shady Side Lane residents would not solve the problem, rather move the problem; most likely to the next street, Pine View. “The students would be cutting through even more yards.”
Captain Zuppelli added that if the street or entire subdivision were signed that would also restrict the homeowners and their guests to only two hours of street parking until 3 pm during the school year.
Ruffino asked whether the school board could add assistance in solving the problem.
School Board response
Hearing from residents and others that there are times when numerous parking spaces are seen unoccupied, the BOE responded that every parking space is paid and accounted for.
Rick D’Arcy, Financial Director informed the group that there are 293 student parking spaces available. There are most likely another 20 spaces that have to be kept back because of snow removal.
Parking spots for seniors, by lottery, are handed out in September. D’Arcy informed the group that as of November 14th of 2007 there were 237 parking spaces given out to 12th grade students. Because of other programs in the fall and spring (CEIP), the remaining lots sold out.
All but 15 of the spaces are allotted to seniors. 11th graders that need internships in the spring and have to travel off campus fill the 15 spaces.
When informed that student busing is provided to all students, Ken Graber declared that there is no need for anyone to be driving.
“That’s not the case,” interjected Ruffino.
Graber replied that there is a difference between wanting to drive and needing to drive.
“Can we force them to take a bus,” asked Ruffino.
Dr. Joseph Casimino interjected that, “while we are in the midst of an energy crisis and the country is encouraging people to car-pool or take mass transit, we’re not teaching our kids to ride a bus, and we are one of the few districts that provide full busing. I am sure there are parents out there who are taking a bus, but letting their kids drive to school. I’m sure there are a lot of parents out there that would like us to tell the kids to take a bus considering what is being spent on gas, insurance, etc.”
Casimino continued, “The school is spending a lot of money on buses and gas to provide transportation, and now you want us to spend money on building a parking lot?”
Parking space availability has doubled since 1990. D’Arcy estimated that it would cost $2,400 to create a new parking space. If they were to consider adding 100 parking spaces as someone suggested, it would cost $240,000.
The discussion then ensued that even if more parking spots could be added, would that encourage more students to apply for parking permits and not add anything to resolve the street parking issue.
The BOE took the position that regardless of how many parking spaces they would create and provide, some kids would still park on the street. They suggested signing the streets and if the problem did move, sign more streets until they would have to park so far away that it did not make sense to drive to school.
BOE member Marie MacKay declared that a survey was performed and the results showed that Lancaster provides as many parking spots, if not more, than the neighboring districts. “Enrollment is dropping. If we build another parking lot and enrollment continues to drop as is predicted, we will have a parking lot to maintain and one where no one parks.”
MacKay agreed with Ruffino that the problem arises, or at minimum worsens, when 11th graders are old enough to get their licenses, but also declared that the school does provide more than enough parking spaces for seniors when the school holds its lottery.
“If you put up the restricted parking signs and they don’t abide by the rules, tow their cars away.”
When asked how far away he thought kids would park from school, Captain Zuppelli said he already seen them parking as far away as Central and Walden Avenues. When asked if that was true in bad weather, the question went unanswered.
Captain Zuppelli reiterated that if more signs were added the residents would be adversely impacted as well. Graber countered that the driveways were long enough to accommodate their own and visiting vehicles as well. “It would be a minimal intrusion compared to what they are now experiencing.”
Dr. Casimino interjected that he already hears residents complaining about buses going by with but a few students on them. Together with the price of gas and the cost that would be associated with creating more parking, he could not justify going before the taxpayers with such a proposal.
“We already have a tough time justifying what we have to do by law, with mandated programs,” added Graber.
BOE member Joseph Maciejewski asked the attending Shady Side Lane residents whether they were for or against the signage. They replied in unison that they had been requesting signage since last November.
Ruffino voiced that he had conducted a survey and that some Shady Side people didn’t want signs. Spokesperson Dave Kerchoff declared that he had submitted a petition requesting signs that were signed by 27 out of 30 homes and those that were later surveyed by Ruffino said they were confused as to what was being asked.
Maciejewski declared that as a school board member he wanted to be as cooperative with the town as possible, but legally he was trying to understand what the board could do. “We are extremely limited. I don’t know how we can encourage the students to take a bus. The only thing we could do is to build a parking lot and the cost in doing that…I’m willing to see what the town is willing to share with us.
Ruffino again stated that just putting up signs just moves the problem elsewhere.
In consensus, the board would look at ways to encourage the students to take the bus to school. Dr. Casimino declared that even if a parking lot were built there would still be kids parking on the streets and signs would have to be put up. “The residents are taking the brunt of this parking issue and need relief.”
He also stated that it was his opinion that parents would not be adverse to tell their kids to take the bus.
Ruffino again proffered that just putting up signs would only move the problem.
The school board then considered whether there was any possibility in finding 25 more parking spots, either by restriping or making a snow removal change. Restriping had already taken place and any lessening of parking space availability could potentially lead to vehicle damage and accidents cautioned MacKay.
“My biggest problem with putting up another lot is going to the public next May with a budget that asks them to approve X number of dollars for a parking lot, even though it comes out of the reserves,” said MacKay. “We then have to look at the safety of the buses that are transporting our children.”
The public will be saying that we are providing all those parking spaces, that the buses aren’t fully used and they (taxpayers) will not approve the purchase of any new buses.
We will then have the added pressure of putting an increase on mechanical maintenance to ensure the buses are safe and do not break down.”
Maciejewski declared that he did not want to be in the parking business. “It’s ridiculous to have taxpayers pay to have another lot put up,” interjected Dr. Casimino.
Graber added that the board would not be adverse to considering a lot in the future but for now, putting up signs, looking at restriping the lots and encouraging students to take buses should be the first steps taken.
Ruffino again declared that putting signs up would not resolve the problem, but that another group would be coming before the boards asking for like signage. “It’s a no win situation. The problem would only move”
The Shady Side Lane residents countered that signs had been issued for other streets that had come before the Town Board and that if they did not want to issue them signs, then all the signs should come down.
They also bekieve that if Pine View were signed as well, there would be no yards for the students to cut through and the remainder of the subdiision would not have to be signed because the kids wouldn't walk that far.
It was then discussed that the problem was most prevalent in the spring when juniors were old enough to get their licenses.
School Board recommendation
The school board recommended the town put up the signs, that they would have their engineer look at creating more spots by restriping the lots and whether there was any other place on the campus where parking could reasonably be extended.
It was also the board’s recommendation that the town put up the signs and if that didn’t help the situation the dialogue could be continued next year.
Graber declared that it the school was in no financial position right now to add a parking lot. “If we thought it was absolutely necessary, we could put it in the budget next year and ask taxpayers to vote on it.”
Other
On occasion, officers canvass the lots ensuring that those who are paying for the parking space are the one’s occupying the spot. Parking permits are not transferable.
When Councilman Ruffino asked about sharing costs of building another lot, he was informed that the school also has contracts for maintenance, security and snow plowing. It’s not just about building a lot.
Even if restriping were possible, it was estimated that created parking spots would not offset the number of cars being parked on side streets. Lessening parking space measurements increases the potential for vehicle damage and accident occurrence.
Attending the meeting were:
Ed Myszka – Superintendent of Schools
Richard D’Arcy – Director of Finance
Ken Graber – president Board of Education
Marie MacKay – vice-president Board of Education
Joseph Maciejewski – Board of Education
Dave Ehrle – Board of Education
Dr. Joseph Casimino – Board of Education
Rick Foley – Board of Education
Dan Paveljack – High school principal
John Bender – High school principal
John Abraham – Town councilman and high school educator
Ronald Ruffino – Town councilman
Captain Rick Zuppelli – Lancaster police department
© Copyright 2008 by Speakupwny.com
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