Traffic tussle big concern at South Putnam

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Saying there had to be a better way to park vehicles at the high school, incoming South Putnam Principal Kieth Puckett approached the SPCSC school board with a proposal to fix the problem.

Puckett told the board that too many vehicles were occupying the fire lane while waiting to pick up students, something that had to be addressed for safety concerns before the 2006-07 school year begins.

"There has to be a better way," Puckett told the board members Monday. "We're backed into a little corner."

Puckett told the board that he, along with incoming Assistant Principal Dan Bain, and other members of administration had recently began discussions on how to correct the traffic mess.

"It's a huge safety concern," Puckett said. "As I stood out there, it was obvious there were problems that needed to be addressed."

Puckett said there were also concerns regarding student parking. Currently, the area of the school's parking lot designated for students has no supervision or windows facing the lot where teachers can keep an eye on the vehicles.

Puckett told the board the parking lot was scheduled to be resealed this summer, giving officials an opportunity to change its status.

"There has to be a better way," he said.

He suggested the west portion of the parking lot be designated for students and it be lined appropriately. This would also give school officials inside the building an opportunity to supervise that portion of the parking lot as many windows face that area.

He also suggested the northeast quadrant of the lot be used for school buses in order to provide a more secure loading area.

The one issue Puckett said would still be a concern was an area for parents that pick their children up after school.

He said officials were looking at the west end of the school as a proposed area for parents to pick up children.

"We have to solve the fire lane problem at our school," he told the board members.

Board member Nancy Wells said she was wondering how school officials would get parents used to a new area to pick up children.

"They're going to have to help us," Puckett responded. "The parents are the piece of the puzzle we haven't solved."

He told the board the issue has not been solved, but he only wants to free up the fire lane on the north side of the building for safety concerns.

Wells said she believed the issue was a decision that administration should tackle and no decision was needed from the board.

"You can paint all the lines you want," she said.

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