Albion school district wants to help village bring crossing guard back
ALBION – School district leaders want to help the village of Albion bring back a paid crossing guard, even if that includes helping to pay the $4,500 annual cost.
Margy Brown, president of the Board of Education, said she is concerned about the safety of students crossing the busy intersection at Route 31 and McKinstry Street.
“We need to work together to come to a resolution,” Brown said during this evening’s Board of Education meeting.
The nine-member board was unanimous in approving a resolution asking the Village Board and Mayor Dean London to reconsider the decision to eliminate the crossing guard position.
The school was notified last week the crossing guard wouldn’t be back this school year in a cost-cutting measure.
The village has the sole authority to hire the crossing guard, according to general municipal law, Board of Education members said. However, the school could help cover the cost and is open to other solutions to have a crossing guard back in front of the middle school, Brown said.
She wants the issue resolved soon. In the Board of Education resolution, board members asked for the Village Board to respond by Thursday. The Village Board meets this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Village Hall on East Bank Street.
“I’m worried this could drag on for weeks and weeks,” she said. “This needs to be taken care of ASAP.”
Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent, said the school district wants to help the village bring the crossing guard back.
“We believe it is an important piece,” Bonnewell said about the crossing guard position. “Hopefully we will have a more palatable solution. It is one of the most congested areas in the village every morning that I see.”
