HAMILTON — A Hamilton couple is at odds with school officials and the city government after construction on Daly Elementary School trapped their truck in their garage.
During construction on the school, a curb was put up running adjacently with the driveway that brings cars and buses into the school. That curb runs directly in front of the Conyer's garage and blocks them in, with no way to move their vintage GMC pickup.
Besides the Conyer's garage and yard, the curb also blocks vehicle access to a community garden and youth soccer fields -- which has the potential to block emergency vehicles if an injury were to occur during practice or a game.
The Conyer's say they told the Superintendent, who offered little in terms of solutions to their problem.
"The superintendent came over and talked to us and offered us $1,000 so we could do it ourselves, but we aren't capable of that. And I don't think we should we have had access to that for 13 years," Claira Conyer said.
"They didn't even have the decency to tell us that they were going to do that so I could get my truck out," Terry Conyer added.
Hamilton school's superintendent told KPAX they will discuss this matter at their school board meeting next week.
Hamilton Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf issued a statement to MTN News on Wednesday in response to the issue saying he's talked with the School District Superintendent, reviewed the project with city staff and met with the Conyers.
He notes that Mabel Lane is a private driveway used for Daly School bus service and is not a city right-of-way. Farrenkopf further explained that "the City’s only role in this project is to approve the construction plans for compliance with City standards. The City of Hamilton does not have any authority to grant or deny approaches onto the bus service road."
According to Farrenkopf, the City was notified on Aug. 21 that the School District was designing curbs to provide access both to the Conyer’s storage garage and the Community Gardens.
The mayor noted in his statement that on Aug. 22 the Public Works Director informed the engineer that no City permits were required for the curbs. Farrenkopf also says "the City had no objection to the School District’s proposal to provide curb laydowns to the Conyer’s property."
Farrenkopf's statement concludes, "It is my understanding that the School District is continuing to work toward a positive solution regarding the Conyer’s access onto Mabel Lane."
