Oswego officials question, criticize school superintendent over Oswego East High parking shortage

Oswego Village Board members questioned and criticized Oswego SD308 Superintendent John Sparlin over the school district’s response to parking issues in the Prescott Mills subdivision just east of Oswego East High School during a contentious meeting Tuesday evening, June 14, at Village Hall.

Village Board members voiced support for the school district constructing an 80-space parking lot on school grounds to accommodate overflow student parking, which the School Board went on record June 6 as opposing. Instead, the School Board has asked the village to impose additional parking restrictions in Prescott Mills.

“Since we believe adding additional spots will not fully address the issue, the Board of Education asks that the village consider adding additional parking restrictions to that subdivision (Prescott Mill),” Sparlin told the Village Board.

Sparlin suggested the village could prohibit on-street parking on selected streets in the subdivision from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The Village Board previously passed two ordinances restricting parking in Prescott Mill in 2018 and 2021, respectively, that limit parking on three subdivision streets closest to the school to a two hour limit from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Village Trustee Kit Kuhrt voiced opposition to the imposition of more parking restrictions.

“Those people didn’t buy houses there (Prescott Mill) to not be able to park on their own street,” Kuhrt said.

Sparlin suggested the issuance of placards or permits by the village, and said he believed that would solve the issue more permanently than adding 80 parking spots to school grounds.

Kuhrt said this would cost the taxpayers money, as the Village Clerk’s office would have to issue the permits.

Village Trustee Terry Olson added that it would require a police presence in the neighborhood every day to monitor the parking.

“Any money spent on police patrol would be offset by the ticketing,” Sparlin said, “Once you issue tickets to the kids, they won’t park there.”

Village Trustee Brian Thomas said he was surprised and shocked that Sparlin would advocate restrictions on public streets, but would not entertain additional parking.

Village President Troy Parlier said the safest place for the kids to be parking is on the campus side of Harvey Road.

“The safety of the kids is imperative,” Kuhrt said. “You have an obligation to the taxpayer.”

Village Trustee James Marter said he didn’t believe the money was the issue, saying the School Board’s budget is five times the size of the Village’s.

“You guys have this issue that has been going on for seven years,” Marter said. “You’re pushing a nuisance onto public roads and private property, and you refuse to do anything about it.”

Marter cited complaints of students verbally harassing residents, littering, parking in front of hydrants and driveways.

Oswego Police Chief Jeff Burgner confirmed that his department has received multiple calls from Prescott Mill residents related to possible drug deals and other misconduct of students inside vehicles parked in the neighborhood.

“This issue is caused by your lack of desire to come to an equitable solution to both Oswego and Oswego East High School,” Marter said.

Marter detailed the work the village has already done in an effort to police parking, passing two ordinances in Prescott Mill subdivision and issuing 65 citations.

“How dare you come up here and say we haven’t done anything about it,” said Marter. “We’ve done our end of the bargain. We’ve done more than we probably should have on this, because this should have been something that you guys handled internally on your own property.”

Village Trustee Tom Guist said the last addition of parking at the school was in 2012.

“Nothing has been added since 2012,” said Guist. “You have done nothing but announce to your students that they should not go park over there. It seems there’s more that your board could do.”

In a memo to the board, Village Development Director Rod Zenner said Oswego High School has just over 27 parking spaces per 100 students, while Oswego East High School has just over 25 spaces per 100 students.

It was noted in discussion that OHS has not had the parking issues that OEHS has.

Zenner suggested, in the memo, the board process a variance to allow for a gravel parking lot at OEHS, which could be installed at a lesser cost and on a faster timeline.

Parlier asked the board’s guidance on raising the required ratio of parking spots per students and their willingness to support a variance for a gravel parking lot addition on school property.

All board members said they were in favor of the construction of a lot, either paved or gravel.

Trustees Jennifer Jones Sinnot and Brian Thomas said they would like to see the amount of parking spots per 100 students be raised to 30.

Board members also voiced support for updating the village’s parking ordinance, increasing the number of parking spaces per student, and give the school district the option of putting in a gravel lot.

Guist said this is something that needs to happen for the community.

“This should be done by (the) school in August,” said Guist. “If the school district will not answer the call and make this happen, we need to financially help do it.”

Sparlin said he appreciated the comments, and he would take their notes back to the School Board.