SIDNEY — Discussions continued about the parking issues across from Sidney Middle School during Sidney City Council’s Monday evening workshop session.
Public Works Director Jon Crusey led the discussion, which began at council’s Feb. 8, meeting, on parking complaints from residents across from Sidney Middle School. The issue is about vehicles blocking driveways in the Chase Avenue area and the alley at the north end of Chase Avenue while waiting to pick up children up from school.
When Crusey spoke with Sidney City Schools’ representatives, as directed by City Council, he learned the school could not provide an additional solution of using school property to help with parking issues. The school said they have already “gone through this a lot.” They noted already adding parking and areas for parents to get off Fair Road and have no more room in the school parking lot, nor want to use the back lot of the school due to safety with buses and cars. However, the school representatives told Crusey they remain open for discussion on ideas to help get pick-up vehicles off the road.
The school has Sidney Police monitor the area and tell parents where not to park, Crusey said he was told, and perhaps police need to continue to monitor the area and direct vehicles to move if parked in prohibited areas blocking drive ways.
Crusey proposed to council the problem areas should be designated as “no parking” between 2 to 4 p.m. on school days to alleviate parking issues.
Council members discussed the possibility of using the lane of traffic closest to the fairgrounds, or roadways in the fairground property, as a staging area for parents pick up students at the Sidney Middle School. Members were puzzled about the school’s inability to route traffic on school property when it was done when the bridge on Fair Road was being reconstructed. In the end, Crusey was directed to continue discussions about potential alternatives.
In other business, council also received a presentation on the Dayton Port Authority from Dayton/Montgomery County Port Authority Executive Director Joseph Geraghty on how the regional Port Authority can be used as a local economic development resource.
The organization facilitates long-term fixed rate financing that supplement and compliment other project capital sources. Geraghty said it also serves as a vehicle for capital lease, real estate acquisition, and aggregation of incentive packages. Geraghty’s PowerPoint presentation showed examples of projects with which the Port Authority was successfully involved. He also spoke about the Southwest Ohio Bond Fund financing available and highlighted the benefits of using the Port Authority.
After some brief discussion, Geraghty said the Port Authority wished to continue mutually beneficial partnership with local municipalities for regional economic development projects.
During council member comments, Steve Wagner said he received a phone call from a property owner who lives adjacent to the city’s lime lagoons and expressed concern about people coming onto their property and also the city’s lime lagoons. The property owner has a number of warning signs posted on their property and Wagner questioned if there was sufficient signage posted on the city’s access road and along the property lines to help reduce the trespassing. City Manager Mark Cundiff said city staff will look into it and options to increase signage and possibly security.
Mayor Mike Barhorst said he spoke with Chuck Pisciotta, who recently purchased HB Products on St. Marys Avenue. Pisciotta advised the company’s new name is Valence Industrial LLC, and he looks forward to expanding Sidney operations.
