Town Discusses Potential Budget Cuts Including Crossing Guard Study

Westfield will likely to need to cut employees in all town departments to balance its budget, not just the crossing guards that have garnered a lot of attention.

"We're not cutting all crossing guards," Councilman Mark Ciarrocca said. "Every department in this town will see reductions," he said.

The town has crossing guards at more locations than any town in the county, and spends about $400,000 a year on crossing guards, he said.

"I anticipate there will be posts that are eliminated," he said.

As for the crossing guards, once the consultants give their report on where crossing guards may not be needed, the finance committee will try to work with other groups, like Westfield Public Schools, or possibly volunteers who may step in, Ciarrocca said. Several Board of Education members expresed opposition to to reducing the amount of cross guards in town.

The council is also looking into ways to help raise public awareness of relatively new traffic laws that would improve pedestrian safety, particularly rewarding driving while talking on a hand-held phone.

"People need to be made aware that it's against the law" and enough of a reason to be pulled over, said Councilwoman Jo Ann Neylan, who will be doing segments on public-access television.

The town also wants to raise awareness of the new state law that drivers need to stop, not just yield, to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.