DATE: June 17, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
FROM: Tracy Avelar, Chief of Police
DEPARTMENT: Police
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZING A SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD AGREEMENT
FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the attached School Crossing Guard Agreement with the San Mateo- Foster City School District for the 2024-2025 school year.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City has discussed with the San Mateo-Foster City School District the renewal of an agreement to provide school crossing guard services for the school year. The funding level authorized for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 was $21,600 towards helping the School District provide this service, and no change is recommended for FY 2024- 2025.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
For over a decade, the San Mateo–Foster City School District and the City of Foster City have provided school crossing guard services through a cooperative agreement.
The agreement requires the School District to manage the hiring of guards and the
day-to-day operation of the program. The City of Foster City has been responsible for providing partial funding to the School District for the administration of the program and payment of the guards.
During FY 2009-2010, the City increased its contribution to the current level of $21,600 to fund the Crossing Guard Program. Both the School District and the Police Department monitor the program for effectiveness, and staffing reductions have been made in the past when warranted.
Subcommittees of the City Council and School Board have met in the past to explore alternative sources of funding for crossing guards (e.g., donations from individuals, organizations, businesses, grants, etc.). To the extent funding does come from these alternative sources, it will reduce the cost of the crossing guards and the payment made by the City to the School District. Through the School District’s outreach to the parents of students by placing donation information in the “back-to-school” packets, it has raised funds for the program in past years. The School District has agreed to include donation information again in the “back-to-school” packets for FY 2024-2025.
The San Mateo-Foster City School District will continue to manage the School Crossing Guard Program. They currently employ up to seven guards who staff cross walks throughout the school day at the following locations:
•Gull Avenue in front of Audubon School
•Beach Park Boulevard and Edgewater Boulevard
•Beach Park Boulevard and Castor Street
•Polynesia Drive and Niantic Drive
•Shell Boulevard and Beach Park Boulevard
California Environmental Quality Act
This agreement is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a “project” that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
$21,600 has been allocated in account number 001-0650-421-4251 in the FY 2024-2025 budget for this purpose.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Public Safety and Social Equity
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1—Resolution
Attachment 2—Agreement