Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – As a way to cut spending, municipal officials have opted not to post school crossing guards at the four usual spots in Presque Isle; and parents of elementary school-aged children, in particular, are now being advised to use extra caution when sending their children to school. “The crossing guard issue comes up every couple of years,” said City Manager Tom Stevens. “It’s been reviewed at a cursory level on again, off again, but nothing I would say really seriously. We are in a changing world, so we have and continue to look at all departmental operations closer than we have in the past, and that’s when this issue came up.”
“When we first thought about eliminating the positions, we went and did an audit and surveyed how many kids truly crossed,” said Police Chief Naldo Gagnon. “At the North Street crossing, for example, one child was assisted crossing the roadway by the school crossing guard during the 45 minutes prior to the start of the school day. Three children had crossed this location just prior to the arrival of the assigned crossing guard.
“It was also noted that five high school-aged students were crossed as well, even though the guards are not responsible for this age group,” he said.
The guards were responsible for crossing children that were in fifth grade or younger, the chief said.
“All the kids that cross at North Street have the ability to be bussed,” said Gagnon. “At the Pine Street Elementary School crossing, there’s very low through traffic, but when school goes in and goes out, there is a lot of school traffic … Moms and Dads dropping off their kids, but the parents usually assist their children crossing the street; the crossing guard was more or less assisting the parents.
“Now Moms and Dads will be expected to get their kids all the way across the street on their own,” he said.
Other observations made during the June 3 audit include:
• One child was crossed by the school crossing guard assigned to the Griffin Street crossing (between Presque Isle High School and Zippel Elementary School) during the 45 minutes before school. It was also noted that several high school-aged students were crossed, as well.
• Two children were assisted by the crossing guard assigned to the Griffin and Blake street area. One additional child crossed the street at approximately 7:15 a.m. prior to the guard arriving. It was also noted that 7-8 high school-aged students were also crossed. Seven children crossed the roadway near the Barton Street/Blake Street intersection without utilizing any crossing guard.
• Three children walked to Pine Street Elementary School alone and were assisted crossing the roadway by the school crossing guard. Three children were dropped off at the front door of the school by adults during this time frame. Two children were dropped off at the door at 7:25 a.m. prior to the arrival of the school crossing guard. Twelve children were dropped off on the south side of the roadway that did not require the children to actually cross the roadway. Twenty-seven children were dropped off by adults on the north side of the street that the crossing guard assisted crossing the roadway, while 23 children were dropped off on the north side of the street and were walked across the road by an adult along with the school crossing guard.
During the winter months, the numbers are much lower than what was observed in June.
Gagnon attributed the decision to eliminate the crossing guard positions to both a lack of funding and a relatively small number of children utilizing the service.
“The major driving force at the end was the funding,” he said, “because there are so many economic issues right now that it makes it tough.”
The city had been paying the crossing guards a combined total of $18,788 a year.
While in the past, if a school crossing guard was unable to report for work a police officer would handle the detail, Gagnon said that won’t be the case from now on.
“Especially over at Pine Street we hope that Moms and Dads take special attention to get the kids all the way across the street safely, but there will be no city presence at the crosswalks,” he said. “It will be complaint driven. If there are complaints, we’ll have an officer there, but we won’t be having someone stationed there every day. It’s a very safe environment as long as everybody’s paying attention.”
The decision was made a little over a month ago.
“It went to City Council for advice and we didn’t receive any comments back,” said Gagnon, “so we believe they are OK with our recommendation.”
Gagnon reiterated that students do have the opportunity to be bussed “if Mom and Dad want them to arrive that way safely.”
“Hopefully the kids will pay attention before they cross the street,” he said, “and walk within the marked crosswalk, and hopefully the motorists will stop and let the kids cross.”
“We recognize that safety is an issue, and every town is different,” said Stevens. “The chief contacted some other communities to see what they do. Several years ago, for example, Caribou ceased doing crossing guards. Their school dynamics and traffic may or may not be similar to ours, but it’s something that we gave a close review to. Obviously we do care about the youth, and at the same time we’re trying to provide a service as economically as we can.”
In a letter to Stevens, Lucy Richard, chair of the SAD 1 board of directors, questioned the timing of the decision to eliminate the positions.
“The city has provided these critical services to protect school children as they cross city streets and as a service to the public by controlling traffic for over 45 years. Through financial highs and lows, the city has provided this critical service to the community,” said Richard, speaking on behalf of the board. “We are wondering why, after over four decades, this service is being suddenly suspended.
“Serious congestion is still present on the street in front of Presque Isle High School and Zippel Elementary each school day as hundreds of students, parents, employees, as well as over 25 busses and over 100 vehicles converge at this same point each morning and after school each day,” she said.
In response to the police department’s survey results regarding Pine Street Elementary School, Richard said “over 400 parents, employees and students enter this area along with over 100 vehicles each morning and each afternoon during a 45-minute period.”
“We respectfully request that the decision to eliminate crossing guards be reconsidered, especially the position at Pine Street Elementary and the two positions at Presque Isle High School and Zippel Elementary School,” said Richard. “The safety of Presque Isle’s citizens, especially the children, has always been the city’s highest priority and we would like to see that continue.”
Copies of the letter were also sent to Gagnon and city councilors.
Stevens said the school board’s request will be taken under advisement.
“Because it’s a request from the school board,” he said, “it will find its way to the City Council’s agenda for September.”
Gagnon cautions motorists that failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk (Title 29-A 2056-4) carries with it a $165 fine.
