MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT CAO LEGALSERVICES MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE. Manager Municipal Governance/Clerk

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1 MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT CAO LEGALSERVICES MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE TO: FROM: Mayor and Members of Council Judy Smith, CMO, CMM III Manager Municipal Governance/ Clerk DATE: January 15, 2014 SUBJECT: Adult Crossing Guard Service (SSRP) RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended by the Committee of the Whole that: 1. Staff are to consult with the schools and the parent councils at those schools that currently have crossing guards to discuss alternatives. BACKGROUND At the January 14, 2014 Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting the attached report was presented. At that time, the committee approved the above motion be brought forward at the next regular Council meeting for approval. It is noted that recommendation #1 or #2 of the attached report were not forwarded to Council by the COTW. Prepared by: Reviewed by: Judy Smith, CMO, CMM III Manager Municipal Governance/Clerk Leanne Segeren-Swayze Director, Customer Services Division Attachment: 1. RTC dated January 6, 2014 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service p:\rtc\clerk_municipal governance\2014\ssrp re adult crossig guard service.doc

2 MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT CORPORATE SERVICES CUSTOMER SERVICES TO: FROM: Mayor and Members of Council Leanne Segeren-Swayze, Director, Customer Services DATE: January 6, 2014 SUBJECT: Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that Council approve one of the following two recommendations: 1. The following recommendation in-principle be approved resulting in these next steps: a) holding a public meeting to discuss the proposal b) a final decision being made by Council at a future Council meeting. The Adult Crossing Guard Program in the communities of Blenheim, Chatham, Dresden, Ridgetown, Tilbury, Wallaceburg and Wheatley be discontinued effective June 28, 2014 Or 2. No change be made to the Adult Crossing Guard program. BACKGROUND At the December 10, 2012 Council meeting, Council directed administration to proceed with Phases III and IV of the SSRP. SSRP Phase III is the stage in the process where cross-departmental review committees, including public members, study, appraise and make recommendations on: 1. Items for review identified by the business unit and EMT 2. Other items for review identified by review committee members 3. Other items for review identified by business unit staff and stakeholders Phase IV is the review of user fees and revenue opportunities.

3 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 2 The Customer Service Review Committee was comprised of business unit staff, crossfunctional staff, and a public volunteer who reviewed and analyzed the issues identified, and arrived at the recommendations in this report. The defined role of a Municipal Adult Crossing Guard (Ontario Traffic Committee (OTC) School Crossing Guard Guide ) is to assume responsibility for directing and supervising the movement of persons across a highway by creating necessary gaps in vehicular traffic to provide safe passage at a designated school crossing location. The Adult Crossing Guard Program has been in existence since prior to amalgamation for the majority of the current adult crossing locations. It is unclear as to how and when the former municipalities assumed this responsibility from the School Boards when it was formerly known as the Safety Patroller Program. A Safety Patroller Program continues to be operated in conjunction with the Public School Board, Canadian Automobiles Association (CAA), and the CK Police Service. Safety Patrollers are recruited from the senior grades at the local school and they only operate at school crossings located adjacent to school property (currently under review). The Catholic School Board and other separate schools opted out of the Safety Patroller program around 12 years ago. Most crossing locations are situated in vulnerable high traffic areas where young students typically cross streets and roads to access school property. The Municipality does not provide adult crossing guard locations near or at each school within Chatham- Kent. Out of 39 elementary schools in Chatham-Kent (with the exception of independent schools), only 13 schools currently have a municipal adult crossing guard near or at the school. The School Boards are not currently involved with the Adult Crossing Guard Program, however in some cases they do manage the low-risk school crossing locations by training and providing student crossing guards (Safety Patrollers). Our current process of providing adult crossing locations is: Receive a specific crossing location request by the public with a supportive petition forwarded to the Engineering and Transportation Division A traffic study is completed by a Municipal Engineering Technologist A recommendation based on the conclusion of the traffic study is presented to Council and may include a budget increase request in cases where a crossing guard is recommended (or a crosswalk signal, etc.). Council direction Customer Services assumes the administrative role of recruiting Adult Crossing Guards as well as day-to-day operations ie equipment, payroll, etc. The Engineering Technologists provide on-site training, street signage/markings, etc.

4 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 3 The 2013 municipal budget for the Adult Crossing Guard Program service totals $62,298 and employs 2.12 full time equivalent staff (15 part-time) and is shown in the table below broken out into the seven service areas: Adult Crossing Guard Budget Base FTE Budget Total Ridgetown Crossing Guards 2205 Wages - PT non union $14, Labour burden $1, Equipment - replacement $195 Ridgetown Crossing Guards $16, Tilbury Crossing Guards 2205 Wages - PT non union $2, Labour burden $ Equipment - replacement $97 Tilbury Crossing Guards $3, Wheatley Crossing Guards 2205 Wages - PT non union $3, Labour burden $ Equipment - replacement $97 Wheatley Crossing Guards $3, Wallaceburg Crossing Guards 2205 Wages - PT non union $9, Labour burden $1, Equipment - replacement $195 Wallaceburg Crossing Guards $10, Blenheim Crossing Guards 2205 Wages - PT non union $6, Labour burden $ Equipment - replacement $ Contracts $291 Blenheim Crossing Guards $8, Dresden Crossing Guards 2205 Wages - PT non union $4, Labour burden $ Equipment - replacement $97 Dresden Crossing Guards $5, Chatham Crossing Guards 2205 Wages - PT non union $12, Labour burden $1, Equipment - replacement $486 Chatham Crossing Guards $14, Total Crossing Guards $62,

5 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 4 12 f/t guards & 9 back-up guards Of which 7 positions are currently vacant (incl 4 full time locations) Map of Current Adult Crossing Locations

6 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 5 Locations of Adult Crossing Guard locations in Chatham-Kent: LOCATION OF CROSSING SCHOOL BLENHEIM corner of Little St & Talbot St W W.J. Baird CHATHAM corner of Oxley and Baldoon Ave corner of McNaughton Ave and Country Lane corner of Lacroix St and Alexandra corner of King St. W and Merritt Our Lady of Fatima Mc Naughton Ave Victor Lauriston/St Ursula's Winston Churchill DRESDEN across from Dresden Area Central School Dresden Area Public School RIDGETOWN corner of Cecil St and Main St E corner of Erie St S and David St Naahii Ridge St Michael's TILBURY corner of Stewart St and Mable St Tilbury Area Public School WALLACEBURG corner of Murray St and Reaume Ave Lawrence Ave - near Thomas Ave Holy Family/Wallaceburg Christian School Christ the King WHEATLEY corner of Erie St., N and Richard Ave Wheatley Area

7 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 6 The Customer Service Division organization structure, including 2.12 approved Adult Crossing Guard FTEs, is shown in the chart below:

8 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 7 COMMENTS A survey was conducted among other southwestern Ontario municipalities regarding their involvement in school crossing guard services. The survey identified that these municipalities all provide the service at different levels using a variety of service delivery models: Municipality Provide Hrs/day No. of Guards Contracted? Service? Sarnia Yes Yes London Yes Yes Woodstock Yes No Windsor Yes No CHATHAM-KENT YES NO The Municipality faces ongoing recruitment issues in this particular area. The public interest in working one hour per day (half hour in the morning and afternoon) is not present in the communities. We are therefore faced with vacant positions (currently 4 vacant locations) which raises many concerns. It should also be noted that the Municipality does not provide such services for all schools in each community. For example, there are approximately 39 elementary schools in Chatham-Kent and our existing crossing guard program covers only 13 of these schools. The following are important factors considered in recommending that the Municipality should not be involved in the Adult Crossing Guard service: Legal comments: Risk issues to be discussed in Closed Session. Options: Since the period when Adult Crossing Guards were first introduced, parents of elementary school children who are unable to accompany their children to and from school during the regulated times now have options. The Best Start Program has been available in various schools within Chatham-Kent (see Attached Best Start Program Guide for a complete list of locations) for over 3 years and it continues to expand and improve. This option allows the flexibility of financial affordability for parents who are unable to personally bring their children to and from school each day. Many schools within Chatham-Kent also have the option of before and after school programs.

9 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 8 Community Impact: The Committee considered the impact to those who currently utilize the Adult Crossing Guard services. We anticipate that parents/guardians will secure alternate arrangements to bring/pick-up their child(ren) to/from school as described above. Recommendation: Based on the information provided above the following recommendation is presented: That the Municipal Adult Crossing Guard Program be discontinued effective June 28, The Committee s recommendation is based on factual assessments and not on financial savings. COUNCIL STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS The recommendations in this report support the following Council Directions: Healthy, Active Citizens Growth Through Variety of Post-Secondary Institutions High Quality Environment Through Innovation Destination Chatham-Kent! Magnet for Sustainable Growth Prosperous and Thriving Community Has the potential to support all Council Directions Neutral issues (does not support negatively or positively) CONSULTATION The Service Review Committee consisted of: Customer Service Representative Director, Customer Services Division Executive Assistant, CAO Community Volunteer ITS 2 Budget & Performance Analysts The Municipal Legal Dept. (Chief Legal Officer) provided a legal opinion of which will be discussed in Closed Session.

10 Customer Service Sustainability Review Process (SSRP) Adult Crossing Guard Service Page 9 The Engineering and Transportation Division, Engineering Technologists also provided comments within this report pertaining to the service background, definitions and financial implications resulting from the removal of school crossing locations. The Cities of Woodstock, London, Sarnia, and Windsor were consulted and confirmed that they do currently employ adult crossing guards. The School Boards were consulted and collectively provided the following statement to reflect their position with the Crossing Guard Program, The School Boards recognize that this is not a School Board matter. Should the recommendation be implemented, a detailed communication plan will be prepared and implemented for school and parent information. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS The recommendation to discontinue the Adult Crossing Guard service would fully eliminate the 2013 approved budget of $62,298 and 2.12 full time equivalent employees. An official school crossing location must be supervised by a school crossing guard or a safety patroller. Per the Ontario Traffic Manual (Book 6 Warning Signs), if the school crossing is not supervised the site must be decommissioned with both signs and pavement markings removed from the highway. It will cost an estimated $500 for each decommissioned school crossing to complete the removal work. If the crossing guards for all 11 active school crossings are eliminated the estimated total one-time cost is $5,500. Prepared by: Leanne Segeren-Swayze Director, Customer Services Division Reviewed by: Gerry Wolting, B.Math, CPA, CA General Manager Corporate Services

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