By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — The School Committee voted to keep the city’s schoolyards open for emergency snow parking for the remainder of the year.
The panel will readdress the issue next year and make changes to its policy, depending on how the season goes.
The issue was raised earlier this month when parking during snow emergencies was limited to the city’s middle and high schools. In the past, parking has been allowed at some, but not all, elementary schools.
During Winter Storm Helena in early January, city councilors and members of the school committee heard from dozens of residents who were left without a place to park. A few councilors took a stand and opened the chains blocking off the lots.
During a school committee meeting following the storm, city attorney James Lamanna said in 2013 the school committee delegated its authority to determine which school lots are open and which are closed during a snow emergency to the city’s inspectional services director, Michael Donovan.
Donovan reminded committee members that vehicles were not removed from the lots the morning following many storms and, in 2015, the panel was displeased when schools could not open two days after a major snowfall.
“We felt that the need for the parking space overshadowed any potential problem,” said Committee Member John Ford. “Based on how it goes this year, we agreed to revisit it and see about next year. If it’s disastrous, we will have to come up with another plan or close the school yards again.”
Ford said city councilors are discussing a solution for next year that includes filing a parking application and using a car tag. Vehicle owners who violate the terms and leave their car in the lot after the designated parking hours will be ticketed, towed and have their parking privileges revoked.
The committee also voted on an updated job posting for a special education administrator drafted by Superintendent Dr. Catherine Latham.
Latham said she felt strongly that, though six candidates had been interviewed, they had not found the right fit for the job. Latham said none of the candidates had the district-wide experience in a large school system or strong curriculum background that she deemed necessary prerequisites.
The updated posting lists a salary starting at $111,000 with increments in accordance with the administrator’s contract, rather than listing a range of $115,000 to $128,000 based on education and experience.
A job description above the list of required qualifications was also removed from the listing.
Latham said she hopes to see the position filled by July 1.
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Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte