The Haverhill School Committee wants feedback from its Finance Committee and school administrators before deciding whether to create an additional parking lot at Haverhill High School.
Two weeks ago, School Committee Vice Chair Toni Sapienza-Donais and member Paul A. Magliocchetti reported what appeared to be a lack of adequate parking at the school as a result of an increase in the workforce there. They asked the administration to look at the problem and come up with an estimate for paving an additional lot. Assistant Superintendent Michael J. Pfifferling last week reported Facilities Director Stephen D. Dorrance and a team of engineers found only one viable area for a new lot.
“It would be behind the library and it would yield between 42 and 54 spaces,” Pfifferling said.
He added the team said either of two paving materials could be used—multi-pack, which is recycled asphalt. or new asphalt. “The multi-pack would cost about $67,000 and the asphalt would cost approximately $138,000,” he said.
Asked by Committee member Scott W. Wood Jr. if the school department believed the issue is critical, School Superintendent Margaret Marotta speculated the problem might be more of a walking problem than a parking problem. “So, I think that there are spaces at the high school. They are far from where people want to be when they park. So, I think the issue is how far people have to walk,” she explained.
Marotta said she will ask Haverhill High Principal Kevin Soraghan for his input as to the seriousness of the problem and report back at the next meeting.
Meanwhile, the Committee agreed by a vote of 5-0 to send the options to the Finance Committee. Committee member Maura Ryan-Ciardiello was absent.