At odds over crossing guards

The City Council went against its own Police Department's recommendation to fund seven guards at actual hours worked at a cost of $17,187.71.

The motion the council passed allots $20,000 to the district to hire guards with the condition the schools determine whether to hire five guards at a four-hour minimum or seven guards at actual hours worked.

Crossing guards make $7.50 an hour and Clark said it is hard to find people to fill the positions without a guaranteed minimum number of hours.

Clark asked the council for more time to study the true needs of where crossing guards were most needed and to determine whether the cost would exceed the $20,000 threshold.

But Mayor Marland Townsend chastised the district for not taking the $20,000.

"We told you we have $20,000. It's one option or the other," Townsend said. "By wanting to study the issue further you are delaying children's safety."

Councilwoman Deborah Wilder said she was disappointed with the district's stance and thought a partnership was in place to co-fund the program.

"We set aside money against the recommendation of the police department to fund this program in partnership. I feel like you are saying 'we are very concerned but it's a city problem,'" Wilder told Clark.

Councilwoman Linda Koelling also was critical of the district's stance.

"I thought the district would try to match these funds that we put up," Koelling said.

The district hasn't found any funding sources for the program and Trustee Mark Hudak pleaded with the City Council to consider upping the funding amount by up to $4,000 to adequately fill the need.

"We are asking you for a $4,000 swing to protect our children. We are asking you to reconsider," Hudak said.

The district can't keep guards at the actual hours worked pay scale, Hudak said.

Crossing guards typically work an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon.

Legally, cities do not have an obligation to fund the program and there were questions about using volunteers instead of paid guards.

Having parent volunteers opens up the school and city to possible litigation, Clark said. The district is moving away from filling the positions with volunteers, she added.

An initial motion by Wilder to accept the police department's recommendation failed by a 2-3 vote.

A new motion by Councilman Ron Cox granting $20,000 to the district on the condition the district determine whether to hire five or seven guards based on need passed with a 5-0 vote.

Other districts like Burlingame have found creative ways to fund the program, Koelling said, and she asked Clark what efforts the district has made to find other funding sources.

"We are not Burlingame," Clark said. "We can barely offer basic necessities to our students."

Bill Silverfarb can be reached by e-mail at silverfarb@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 109. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.