On March 3, the Gambier Village Council met to address parking concerns, the departure of Ian Smith P’24’27 as Kenyon’s primary representative to the Village and Gambier’s upcoming 43022 Day. 

Shortly after the meeting opened to attendees for comments, one villager complained about the number of cars parked at Kenyon’s fraternity properties. “I feel like I am driving through a used car lot,” the villager said. But residents’ concerns go beyond the visual aspect — the Council has previously acknowledged that cars parked at the fraternity houses spill into the street and block visibility for drivers, posing a potential safety concern.  

Council member Liz Forman stated that she believes some students park at fraternity lodges in order to avoid paying for parking permits, or to keep their cars closer to residence halls on Kenyon’s north campus. Additionally, parking at fraternity lodges allows students to maintain proximity to campus during the week without needing to move their cars by 6 a.m., an undesirable wake-up time for many drivers. The Council also noted that the Office of Campus Safety is being stricter with enforcement, which is likely leading students to seek parking alternatives.

While the Village already has rules limiting the number of cars on a property’s lot, the Council expressed a desire to start cracking down on enforcement. Village Solicitor Clinton Bailey suggested that warnings be sent out to the Greek life organizations and the owners of the properties, before eventually recommending that the Knox County Sheriff’s Office begin ticketing.   

On a more melancholy note, Smith announced that due to the restructuring of senior staff at Kenyon, he will soon leave his role as vice president for facilities, planning and sustainability. “It’s not easy for me to say,” Smith admitted, clearly emotional. Smith has long been a liaison between Kenyon and the Village, keeping the Council updated on the management of Kenyon properties and new projects, and wanted to inform the Council directly. The Council was sad to see Smith go. “I have been in this thing forever, and you’re the best person that the Village has ever worked with,” Forman said. Council member Kaitlin Sockman also told Smith, “You bring a wealth of knowledge, and we are so grateful for that.”  

Toward the end of the meeting, the Council announced that the Village will again hold its 43022 Day event in April. Originally held in 2022 to celebrate the date of Gambier’s zip code, 4/30/22, the event was such a success that it has been held annually ever since. With more information to come, villagers and students can expect food vendors, live music and other activities in downtown Gambier. The next Village Council Meeting will be held on April 7.