By John Addyman
LYONS (Oct 27 10) – The school district has settled on a new one-way bus loop through the elementary school property, something that will ease congestion and address safety concerns.
And as much planning as has gone into the new route, which will use $1.6 million in EXCEL funding to create a new access alley onto Phelps Street, the school board wasn’t thrilled by what it heard this evening.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Mike Pangallo showed the board what architects, planners, police, the State Education Department and members of a safety committee had come up with.
New plans were necessary because the original scheme, which called for buses to come in off Phelps Street, run alongside of the school and exit on Lawrence Street, had to be shelved when the owner of a house on 17 Phelps St. decided not to sell to the district. That property provided the ingress for the route, plus an area for parking.
The revised plans for a Z-shaped route call for buses to enter on Williams Street, go alongside the school, then turn left toward a parking lot owned by St. Michael’s Church, then make a right turn toward Phelps Street, exiting onto Phelps via a new roadway. Buses would park and unload students in a parking area on the new roadway.
School Board President Sharon Tiballi said she had heard a lot about the new plan. “Why can’t we use Williams Street?” she asked.
Pangallo explained the district cannot use Williams Street to load and unload buses.
Tiballi asked if the new plans would eliminate parking spaces. Pangallo said just one would disappear.
Board Member Nancy Sheremeta said she was concerned about kids walking from the bus area to the school, and mentioned she might be one of the parents zipping in the bus entrance to pick up her child, rather than using the parents’ pick up/drop off area.
“The police want parents dropping off in front of the school,” said Schools Superintendent Rick Amundson. “That’s the safest place.”
Pangallo showed walkways from the buses to the back of the school, well away from traffic.
Other board members were concerned about the area on Williams where buses would turn onto the property because children would be hurrying along the sidewalk to get to school. Amundson said a police patrol would be right there to watch things, but later agreed that a staff member would probably have to be patrolling that area, too.
Asked about other alternatives and for the necessity of the plan, Pangallo said the school now uses the church parking lot – which is not district property. Should the church decide not to allow that, the district has a problem.
“We’re doing this because we’re afraid the Catholics are going to kick us out?” asked Tiballi. Pangallo answered, “We’re using their property now; we have no control over it.”
“The community wanted the elementary school to stay in the village,” said Amundson. “It has a whole lot of limitations. This may not be a perfect plan but we’re doing it to be safe.”
“Our Catholic church is going to throw us out but we maintain their parking lot, do the striping on it, plow it, and mow the lawn?” asked Board Member Howard Albrecht. “We’re afraid they’re going to throw us out of there?” He asked if the bus area could be built in the church’s parking lot.
“We can’t build on their property,” said Amundson. “We had to look at the possibility the church wouldn’t allow us to use their property. This is to control our own destiny. Also, we get a completely revamped and level playspace, and we’re doing it on our property, while the money is coming from New York State.”
Administrators will explain the new traffic plan to the elementary school staff on Thursday.
Other Matters
The board also made appointments at the meeting: Mike Consadine as the middle/high school data mentor coach, Karen Galbraith as the elementary data mentor coach, Laura Pyke as RTI coach, and Theresa Hill as a long-term substitute teaching assistant.
Share:
.jpg)
Anonymous Said,
Here is a crazy idea just keep things as they are. Why do it just because it is state money, which by the way still is from us taxpayes.
Posted on Thu Oct 28, 10:44:00 AM EDT
Anonymous Said,
Which is why a community or school district, organization or non-profit should go after every dime possible.
Posted on Thu Oct 28, 01:30:00 PM EDT
Anonymous Said,
I couldn't disagree more I am tired of the argument if we don't apply for the grant somebody else will. What should happen is you only spend money as if it was cominng out of your own pocket because indirectly it is. So just because you can get state or federal money it isn't enough of a justification for locals to spend it on a project that if they had to pay for it themselves they wouldn't do it.
Posted on Thu Oct 28, 02:42:00 PM EDT
Anonymous Said,
very bad idea....sorry i dislike !!!!!!there are safty issue's with kids entering the parking lot...its bad enough that teachers and other workers have to park on the streets as it is ...why fix it if it not broken?
Posted on Fri Oct 29, 11:05:00 PM EDT