A municipal security committee proposal to pave an access roadway around the Prescott School to facilitate police patrols has encountered vocal resistance from neighborhood residents and the Parent-Teacher Association, setting up a clash over school security and student safety.
Opposition to Paved Access Road and Security Committee Rationale
School Committee member Joseph M. Pentowski raised objections before the board last night, reporting that local families and PTA representatives are strongly opposed to the project. “The PTA and the residents there are against it. They are worried about attracting more problems to the school,” Pentowski stated, warning that a paved perimeter road would invite unauthorized bicycle riders and vehicular traffic while endangering children playing in the schoolyard.
The security committee—which includes the police chief—originally proposed paving perimeter roads around all local school properties last spring to enable police cruisers to better monitor facilities and curb a rising tide of vandalism. Police Chief James Curran defended the plan, explaining that while police cruisers already navigate the grounds, they are currently forced to drive across unpaved grass and dirt sections. “The more often a cruiser can get around the school, the more protection the school will get,” Curran argued, expressing hope that enhanced police access would ultimately outweigh any drawbacks.
Selectman Walter J. Dempsey, who serves on the security committee, challenged Pentowski’s characterization of community sentiment. “I am afraid you are inflaming the residents there. You fought against it from the beginning,” Dempsey asserted. Pentowski flatly denied the charge, maintaining that school principals are universally opposed to the plan. “They are worried sick about it,” he added. Pentowski has formally called for a public hearing to be held before any construction commences.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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