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Panama Village Board members discussed public safety concerns on School Street during their April meeting.
Mayor Bill Schneider has been part of Panama Central School's safety meetings where concerns with parents parking on both sides of the street during drop off and pick up times have been the main focus. This has been an issue in the past, but it is something that has become a bigger issue recently.
"The issue has been with the drop off and pick up of students at the school; it has been clogging School Street," Schneider said. "There were many people parking on the wrong side of the road because part of the road has no parking at all, and then there is some parking on the school side."
Highway Superintendent Bryan Manwaring has doubled back on the no parking signs so they can be seen on each side of the road, no matter the direction the car is coming from. More signs have also been added.
The village and school have been working together to make sure parents know of the need to change the traffic pattern.
"Not only are people parking on the wrong side of the street, but people pulling in and out of there quickly is causing a hazard and potential problem with a student or pedestrian," Schneider said.
Schneider said the school has put an all-call out to parents to warn them that changes are being made, with another expected once spring break is over to tell them that they can no longer park on the south side of School Street. The school will be providing a section of the front parking lot to be designated as parent-only parking.
"Parents can pull in the front lot and not have to fight for a space and then go pick up their student," Schneider said. "They are trying to change some of their patterns internally as to where students leave and enter the building for better and more efficient pick up without all of that traffic."
After the call goes out to parents, the school and village will give it a week and then if people are still parking in the "no parking areas" on the street they will start giving warnings, and then move up to ticketing.
"We're just trying to make School Street a safer area, especially during those pedestrian times where you have kids trying to cross the street, parents trying to cross the street," Schneider said.
More "no parking" signs have been ordered and are set to be placed on the upper part of School Street by the football field before the next football season starts.
In other news:
¯ The board discussed a potential public safety issue with aged and dead trees that may need to come down or have already come down following last weekend's storms. Funds were moved from the COVID relief funds to the tree removal section of the budget for this purpose.
¯ Following discussion and moving around of some other funds, the village's budget worksheet was approved by the board. The budget hearing is set for May 2 at 6:30 p.m. before the next scheduled board meeting.
¯ The board was also given an update on signs and Memorial Day celebration preparations. All that is left to prepare for Memorial Day is confirming a speaker.