Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Crossing Guards topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Work group discusses crossing-guard funding, union limits and municipal partnerships
Summary
Members explored whether unspent county crossing-guard funds could be redirected to municipalities; officials said unionized positions and budget cycles limit direct reallocation, but municipalities could partner via memoranda or negotiated budget items.
Committee members discussed options for funding crossing guards and whether municipalities could use unspent county crossing-guard funds. One member asked which date should be used to determine when funds are considered "unspent," noting the need for clarity on timing.
The Chair said county budgets and unionized positions complicate forcing funds to be used by a given date; the police department and county finance can project which positions remain unfilled and potentially allow municipalities to take on roles through intergovernmental agreements or negotiated memoranda of understanding during the budget cycle. "It's kind of hard to...to force them to, by a certain date," the Chair said, explaining the timing constraints of budget approval.
Pamela Buserstreler, a board of education member, said she has seen social-media posts suggesting crossing-guard positions remain unfilled despite recruitment efforts. "I'm seeing social media posts now saying that they're still crossing guard positions... well laid plans... cannot attract enough," she said, urging flexibility for municipal partnerships and continued advocacy during the budget process.
