School Board Mulling a Way to Alleviate Parking Issues at Baldwin High

Rain? No way. Shine? No problem—maybe.

leaders are considering re-allowing parking on the field behind Stadium but only during selected events at the high school, only when the field is dry and only when there is no rain in the forecast.

William D. McKain, the school district's assistant to the superintendent for finance and operations, asked the B-W School Board on Wednesday night to consider a motion at next week's meeting that, if approved, would reopen that field for parking for the first time in years.

Board member Nancy Sciulli DiNardo said that she would vote against such a motion for fear of damaging the field. "We spent a lot of money on (that field)," Sciulli DiNardo said, referring to a large re-sodding project and the installation of a sprinkler system on the field, which is used for physical education classes, baseball, softball and track & field. "I'm really leery of putting that in the hands of people that park up there."

McKain's recommendation prohibits parking near sprinkler heads, but board member Nancy Lee Crowder said that she would still not support the motion. "It would be hard to regulate that," Crowder said in regard to staffing parking at the field.

McKain said that the field would only be open for parking for around four to six events per year. Football games and large marching band competitions are examples of such events.

Board member Larry Pantuso, who lives next to Baldwin High, said that he sees overflow parking during such events and understands the need for more space. Pantuso would be supportive of such a motion, saying that opening the field up behind the stadium would accommodate around 75 to 100 more vehicles than what are normally served at the high school.

"We have a parking concern up there. It's not going away," said board member Kevin J. Fischer, pointing out that many vehicles are ticketed by the for illegally parking on streets near the high school during events. "It's a spot that was used before," Fischer said in support of the idea. "The field can handle cars on it.

"Let's use common sense."

Board member George L. Pry said that he had many concerns and was undecided. Still, Pry acknowledged, "There are times that you could use that field, and it wouldn't hurt it."

The board may be voting on McKain's recommendation at next week's meeting—Wednesday, Feb. 8. Public comments on voting items are heard at the start of every meeting—around 7:30 p.m.

Have thoughts now? Share them in the comments section below.

And check back with the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch later on Thursday for more odds and ends from Wednesday night's school board meeting.

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