Budget Cuts $73K for Crossing Guards, Details TBA

The proposed town budget announced Tuesday evening contains a $73,000 cut to the overall crossing guard budget, but details of proposed cuts have not been determined.

Councilman Mark Ciarrocca, the finance committee chairman, said the cut will be a 15.05-percent decrease to the overall crossing guard budget of $600,000. He said how the cut will be implemented is a matter for the Town Council's public safety committee to decide.

Ciarrocca, a former public safety committee chairman, said that there are several ways to implement the cut. These include potential decreases in the hourly rate paid to crossing guards or a reduction in the total amount of crossing guards town wide. Currently crossing guards make $20 an hour and there are 57 guard posts town wide, the highest of any town in Union County. Crossing guards also receive a small stipend for uniforms.

Councilwoman Joann Neylan, the public safety committee chairwoman, announced earlier this year that her committee was planning a comprehensive study of crossing guard usage in the town. During last month's crossing guard recognition ceremony, Neylan said that she is committed to the crossing guards but reiterated some cuts may be made.

Ciarrocca said Tuesday night that the public safety panel has met with police officials to determine the safety needs of the various crossing guard posts around town, along with potential plans. In addition he said the committee remains in touch with the BRAKES pedestrian safety advocacy group and the Board of Education to discuss the issue. Any cuts would not take effect until September.