Vandalism in Russell Park has revived talk of installing a video surveillance system at the Main Street site.

Public Works Superintendent Robert Kowalik told the Akron Village Board on Monday that some railings at the gazebo and light bulbs in the shelter structure had been damaged.

“It seems to be a meeting point for youths,” said Kowalik, a point echoed by Police Chief Richard Lauricella, who said, “Cameras would prove useful.”

The park features the community Christmas tree, which will be lit during festivities from 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. Saturday.

It is closed to the public at dusk throughout the year. But officials say it is a popular gathering spot for some area youths, who, in the words of Trustee E. Peter Forrestel, “hang out and do mischief.”

“Let’s make a commitment to do what we should have done 10 years ago and put a video system in both buildings [the gazebo and shelter],” Forrestel said. Mayor Carl Patterson, while agreeing with Forrestel that the matter should be revisited, added, “The second part of that is holding the kids accountable.”

Lauricella noted that some youths have been petitioned to Family Court in park vandalism cases, “but it’s not a high priority” for the court.

Patterson said, “Parents have to accompany their kids to court, so whether they just get a slap on the wrist or not, it’s worthwhile.”

He also stressed that anyone seeing youths in the park when they aren’t supposed to be there or who see any suspicious behavior should report it to the village Police Department or officials in Village Hall.

On an unrelated matter, Lauricella advised residents to lock their cars, noting that there have been five larcenies recently involving vehicles and that in one case a shotgun was stolen from a car. He said the weapon later was retrieved from a ditch.

The board also renewed permission for the Northern Erie Sno-Seekers, a snowmobile club, to use the portion of the bike path in the village for the winter months. The club has permission from the towns of Clarence and Newstead to use the bike path in their jurisdiction. The club rides off the paved portion, which is marked with barrels; provides trash receptacles along the route; and marks areas near bridges with reflective tape.

One village resident asked the board to also consider the “silent sports” of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing as uses for the bike path during the winter. He said the snowmobiles are a deterrent to those sports.

In other business, the board adopted a resolution to bond $125,000 as its share of site-improvement work for the joint public works facility it is building with the Town of Newstead on Clarence Center Road. The Town Board has passed a similar resolution.

And the board set a public hearing for 7:30 p. m. Jan. 4 on a proposed local law to license plumbers working in the village.

Village Clerk-Treasurer Daniel Borchert said Village Hall will be open until 5 on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve but will be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.