Story By: MARK NOLAN, Editor

15 October 2009

Motorists traveling through Bellport Village in the afternoon on a school day can expect traffic delays caused by groups of students mostly from Bellport Middle School who come into the village to hang out after school. Village and school officials have said most of the students, who they characterize as “good students,” aren’t necessarily doing anything wrong, but a handful of kids who ride their bikes or skateboards into traffic are causing problems.

School officials have begun patrolling the Four Corners in addition to additional code enforcement patrols by Bellport Village. South Country School District Superintendent Dr. Ray Walsh said on Tuesday he confiscated two skateboards from students who were riding them through streets. Bellport Village Mayor David Pate said the village and school district has been working well together to solve the problem. “It’s gotten to the point where children are challenging cars and disregarding traffic lights,” Pate said. “They are walking and stopping in lanes of traffic and almost causing accidents. We’re not trying to stop children from coming into the village; we’re trying to stop certain types of behavior. I would hope the village could be known as a child-friendly village, but it comes with responsibility and that responsibility is that you conduct yourself in an appropriate manner.”

Walsh said Bellport Middle School Principal Brian Ginty and security guards have gone to the Four Corners and written down students’ names and contacted parents. “Today there were literally five students who ran away quickly as soon as a security guard and Mr. Ginty went up there,” Walsh said. “That’s going on everyday. Last week we had probably close to 50 kids hanging out on different corners. Now we’re sending letters home and contacting parents.”

Walsh said he has spoken to parents who disagree with school officials telling students they can’t go into the village. “A few of the parents have been reluctant,” Walsh said. “One parent told me, ‘Well, yeah, my son is going to get a slice of pizza. What’s the problem?’ I said, ‘They’re congregating in violation of Bellport Village code.’ It’s not just going to get a slice of pizza, it’s causing a potentially hazardous situation. It’s not just one or two kids getting a slice of pizza, it’s 40 or 50 kids down there and it creates a safety hazard. As a school district, we have to address it and we’re cooperating with the village.”

Pate said businesses and residents have complained of the large number of students hanging out at the Four Corners and riding skateboards, bicycles and Razors in the middle of the street. “Residents are struggling to walk down a sidewalk in the village,” he said. “Some store owners have complained.”

Pate and Walsh said some students would leave school at the end of the regular school day, go to the village and return to the school in time to take the after-school activities bus home. Walsh said the school is now making sure all students who ride the bus participated in an after-school activity and didn’t just come back from hanging out in the village. “We, along with the village, are focusing on making sure kids are where they belong,” Walsh said. “The village can actually give a summons to students if they are in violation of code for loitering. We’re addressing this situation aggressively.”

Walsh said he isn’t sure why the Four Corners has suddenly because such a big draw for so many students. For decades, students have congregated at the Four Corners after school, but not to this extent, Walsh said. “We’re not sure why this is happening now,” Walsh said. “No one knows why. It’s become sort of a group thing. They say, ‘Let’s go hang out by the village and take the late bus home.’ These are not bad students. They’re just students who want to hang out, but now it’s become a problem so we have to work with the village to fix it, and we are.”