Orinda authorizes up to five school crossing guards, city to split cost with district

The Orinda City Council on March 18 authorized the city manager to enter a contract for school crossing‑guard services covering up to five posts and to execute a reimbursement agreement with the Orinda Union School District for 50% of the annual cost.

Council members approved the step after a staff report that said volunteer and school‑staff crossing coverage is inconsistent and that professional contractors provide supervised, insured services able to cover split shifts. The cost in the staff proposal was approximately $118,800 annually for five guards; the city’s 50% share would be about $59,400. Removing one guard would reduce the city portion to roughly $46,000.

Staff recommended contracting through a third‑party provider (the responsive proposal in the packet was from Crossing Guard Services). The city’s risk provider and staff said an outside contractor is preferable to minimize liability and to deliver training, supervision and stable schedules for split‑shift morning and afternoon coverage.

Council members debated which school sites to prioritize. The superintendent and parent representatives requested crossing guards at four elementary schools: Glorietta, Del Rey, Sleepy Hollow and Wagner Ranch. Staff said Wagner Ranch’s intersection is signalized and has a pedestrian pathway that, in staff’s view, provides more control than the other requested locations; some council members questioned whether Wagner Ranch required a contractor‑provided guard. The final council direction authorized four guards for immediate implementation and delegated to the city manager limited discretion to add a fifth guard if a demonstrated need is documented. Council members also instructed staff to require that any additional crossing‑guard requests beyond the initial allocation be funded by the school district or via parent fundraising.

The motion included direction that the police department (and the chief) oversee operational coordination and that the city and district document the 50/50 cost‑share in a reimbursement agreement. Council members and staff said the superintendent reported she had identified the district’s 50% share.

The council vote was unanimous. Staff said the contract would be funded from the city’s upcoming budget and that there are sufficient funds this fiscal year to start the service if agreements and vendor onboarding can be completed before the end of the school year.

Staff will return with the contract and reimbursement agreement for the city manager’s signature or for council review if required; the city manager was given authority to finalize the contract to expedite startup.