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Council debates crossing-guard funding as staff proposes retaining eight posts; city asks for more data before finalizing
Summary
Staff proposed the city fully fund and manage eight crossing-guard positions (seven locations, two guards at Pleasant Hill & Spring Hill) at an estimated full cost of about $245,000; council requested a formal staff report and verified counts before deciding whether to restore additional locations raised by parents and school officials.
Lafayette staff told the council they evaluated 11 existing school-crossing locations using objective criteria — pedestrian crossing volumes, traffic volume and speeds, sight-distance and collision history — and proposed the city preserve eight crossing-guard posts in seven locations, including two posts at the Spring Hill / Pleasant Hill location. Under the staff recommendation, the city's budget contribution would rise to cover management and pay if the city assumes full responsibility; staff estimated full funding would cost about $245,000 annually, with a proposed city budget line of roughly $164,000 for this year.
Transportation staff explained the selection method and identified four locations that would be removed from city-funded coverage under the proposal (including some with redundant nearby controls). Parents and long-time crossing guard Linda Rotundo explained neighborhood-specific safety problems, saying removal at Spring Hill & San Court would increase the risk of pedestrian-involved incidents. "I believe removing crossing guard coverage would remove an important layer of protection at a location where it is regularly needed," Rotundo said.
Council members expressed broad support for keeping crossing-guard protection where objective criteria and local testimony show risk, but several members said they needed to review the underlying counts and data before committing to a final set of locations. The council asked staff to prepare a formal report with the raw counts, the methodology, and options to renegotiate the vendor contract or pursue alternatives such as temporary traffic restrictions during arrival/dismissal times.
Council indicated it may consider restoring two or more of the four locations proposed for removal (Monroe/First Street and Spring Hill) pending staff verification; members suggested a near-term continuation while staff produces the data and options.
What happens next: staff will provide the requested counts, methodology and a formal recommendation at the next council meeting. The council signaled a willingness to fund crossing guards this fiscal year but asked for a data-driven confirmation of specific locations.
All quotes and attribution in this article come from the meeting transcript and map to speakers identified there.
