09-22-08 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 22, 2008 so that is why they are here tonight. She stated that they feel their jobs are just as important as everyone else for the safety of the school children and they use their cars, gas. Two people have PERF, that’s it, and very few carry the insurance, so it’s not like they are rich. She stated that she has been a crossing guard for twenty-five years and there are some other ladies that have been on for quite awhile. She stated that they are dedicated to their jobs. She stated that they have heard people say to volunteer, that’s fine, but she questioned whether the Council would volunteer for their jobs. She stated that they have bills to pay. She stated that they have a great care for the school children and if they didn’t they wouldn’t be doing this job. She stated that they would have other careers; she did have another career, but decided that she wanted to spend more time with her children and took this job so she could do that. She stated that she is not rich, but is not sorry that she made the decision. She pleaded with the Council to try to find some funds to keep the Crossing Guards. Councilmember Oliver Davis questioned whether or not the Crossing Guards have attended a School Board Meeting? Ms. Dreibelbeis stated no they had not and why would they? She stated that they are employed by the South Bend Police Department not the School Corporation. Councilmember Oliver Davis stated that they should not put all their eggs in one basket, but put them in several and meet with the SBCSC School Board to see if they can help come up with some funds along with the City to try to find a resolution to help find funding for the Crossing Guards. Ms. Christine Woolrich, 734 N. Twyckenham, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she is a retired Vice-President for Key Bank. She stated that at the present time she is teaching at James Madison Primary Center. For 47 years the school crossing guards have made an adequate and diligent commitment to preserve safety for the children. She stated that she is witness to this every school day. She stated that at 7:15 a.m. every morning they are at their respective schools, in the dark, in the rain, in the snow, and in the sunshine to take care of the school children on the South Bend Community School Corporation. She urged the Council to finds some funds to take care of these school crossing guards. She stated that Council needs to find the funds, not the School Corporation; she stated that the school barely has enough to cover raises for the teachers. She stated that this is a matter safety for the school children. Mr. Bob Steinmetz, SBCSC Teacher, Room #144, Harrison Primary Center, South Bend, Indiana, stated he has been a resident of South Bend since he graduated from college and a third grade teacher at Harrison for 39 years and a supervisor of student patrols for the last 15 years. He stated that he has had the privilege of working with three of the crossing guards in the audience tonight, Ms. McKinney, Ms. Anderson and Ms. Gunn. He stated that he would like to speak in favor of retaining all of the school crossing guards from two points of view. First the logical approach. Who would cross the elementary school students if there were no more crossing guards? Some argue that parent volunteers could be enlisted, that might work for awhile until the weather gets cold or there is a family emergency or there are important errands to run. Volunteers no matter how well intentioned, simply would not be at their post every single morning and afternoon on a consistent basis. Most volunteers rightfully or wrongfully believe that other obligations supersede a non-paying job. Would teachers fulfill this obligation to be crossing guards? That might sound like a workable solution, until they realize that teacher’s by contract have hall and classroom duty starting at 8:00 a.m. and that there are still some stragglers that cross the intersections going to school around 8:05 or 8:10 or even later. Most teachers arrive at least one-half hour before school begins to prepare for the day and would not have the time before school to be on crossing guard duty. What about after school? There are meetings, bus duty, hall duty again, all of which are contractual obligations and prevent them from taking on other obligations. What about having students fill in as crossing guards? That is the worst of these three options, th because the elementary school only goes up to the 4 grade and the reality of the society today is that cars barely stop for the adult crossing guards in full uniform with a stop sign. He student patrols are only there to hold the students back while the adults enter the intersection to hold up traffic. He noted that his student patrols have specifically trained 34