Is Oxford Township willing to pay for the crossing guards that help Clear Lake Elementary students walk to school safely along Drahner Road?
That was Superintendent Dr. Bill Skilling’s question to the township board last week.
‘It’s up to you to make that final decision,? he told township officials. ‘All we can do is make the request. But it’s not our responsibility to provide crossing guards.?
Skilling wrote the board a May 30 letter in which he requested the township provide crossing guards where the subdivision streets Sommerville Dr., Queens Dr. and Yale Dr. intersect Drahner Rd. on its south side.
The school district has been providing crossing guards at these intersections ? which are subdivision entrances/exits for Oxford Meadows and Oxford Woods ? to help students walking to and from school along the Drahner Rd. safety path.
‘That is a very busy area at each of those entrances,? said Clear Lake Principal Sue Hannant. ‘A couple of them (the crossing guards) have almost been hit by people not paying attention.?
Students living on the north side of Drahner Rd. are bused to school because there are no sidewalks or safety paths on that side, according to Skilling.
However, Clear Lake Principal Sue Hannant told this reporter there are some students on the north side who still choose to walk.
‘There are kids that just don’t want to take the bus and they prefer to walk or they’re close enough to Drahner that it makes no sense for them to walk back in (the subdivision) to get the bus,? she said.
So, these same guards also help students cross Drahner Rd. when needed.
‘The busiest (crossing) is at Queens (Dr.) and Hilberg (Ave.),? according to Hannant.
A designated school crosswalk, complete with white striping., is located where Hilberg Ave. intersects Drahner Rd. to the north.
During the 2007-08 school year, the district spent approximately $9,400 on crossing guards at Clear Lake Elementary.
The superintendent furnished township officials with a copy of state law that indicates, ‘School crossing guards shall be the responsibility of the local law enforcement agency having immediate jurisdiction of the crossing.?
In this case, the local law enforcement agency is the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, which provides police services to the township via a contract financed by a voter-approved millage.
Supervisor Bill Dunn noted that if the township chose to fund school crossing guards, the money would have to come out of the police budget.
‘There’s not a lot of extra money in that police budget,? he said.
That’s because when township officials created the budget they kept it tight because they wanted to keep ‘the (millage) rate down as much as they could,? Dunn explained.
Trustee Pat Fitchena suggested putting something in the newspaper asking for parents to volunteer for crossing guard duty. She asked if the sheriff’s department could train the volunteers.
‘Anything’s possible,? Dunn replied.
Trustee Sue Bellairs quoted a portion of the same state law cited by Skilling which holds the establishment of a school crossing must be based on a traffic and engineering study conducted by the authority having jurisdiction to maintain the road, which in the township’s case is the Road Commission for Oakland County.
Based on her reading of state law, Bellairs said, ‘I think you’re only allowed to put (crossing guards) by the schools, not the subdivisions. We wouldn’t be responsible to do that.?
She said years ago the school district ‘caved in? and posted crossing guards at the subdivision entrances/exits because some people ‘complained the safety path was too close to Drahner Rd.? and there are no sidewalks in the subdivision.
Bellairs said if crossing guards are needed, it should be to help students cross Drahner Rd. in front of the school.
‘That’s where the crossing guards should be if there is going to be a crossing guard,? she said.
Skilling reiterated that he’s just putting forth a request for crossing guards and it’s up to the township to review the situation and determine the need.
‘I’m not standing here saying we need three crossing guards,? he said. ‘I’m not an expert to say whether we need three, two, one or we really don’t need one.?
Dunn indicated that he and Sheriff’s Lt. Larry Perry, commander of the Oxford substation, will meet with school officials to discuss the matter.