THOUSAND OAKS CITY COUNCIL
THOUSAND
CALIFORMIA
Supplemental
Information
Packet
Agenda eleed a Pack Mate: of ruary 14, 202 3023
2:30 p.m.
Supplemental Information:
City's website at toaks.org/agendas or by contacting the City Clerk Dept at (805) 449-2151 during normal busi- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
i compliance with the ADA, if vou need special assistance to participate in this meetina or other services i onjunction with this meeting, please contact the City Clerk Department at (805) 449-2151. Assisted listenin devices are available at this meeting. Ask City Clerk staff if you desire to use this device. Upon request, the agenda and documents in this agenda packet, can be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting or time when services are needed will assist City staff in assuring reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting THE FOLLOWING 12
PAGES ARE RELATED TO
ITEMS 10.B.
From: Jaime Friedman <[email protected]>
Date: February 10, 2023 at 10:36:34 AM PST
To: Al Adam <[email protected]>
Subject: School Crossing Guards
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello Mr. Adam,
I'm writing to you today as a concerned parent. My daughter attends Lang Ranch Elementary and we have been informed that our school may not have crossing guards next year. This is shocking considering crossing guards are synonymous with schools!
We have approximately 700 students, most of which parents drive them to and from campus.
Please help keep our students safe by voting to keep crossing guards at our schools! Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Be well.
Jaime Friedman
818.581.6095
From: THRIVEConejo <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:59 AM
To: [email protected]; Bob Engler <[email protected]>; David Newman <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Kevin McNamee <[email protected]>; Mikey Taylor <[email protected]> Cc: City Clerk's Office <[email protected]>; Melissa Hurtado <[email protected]> Subject: Letter on proposed Crossing Guard Resolution, February 14 CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor McNamee, Councilmembers Adam, Engler, Newman, Taylor and Mr.
Powers,
Attached, please find a letter from Conejo Unido with our feedback on the proposed School Crossing Guard Standards and Policies. We hope you will take our thoughts into consideration when making your decision this evening.
Sincerely,
The Leadership Team of Conejo Unido
2 conejounido
February 12, 2023
Kevin McNamee, Mayor, Thousand Oaks City Council
Al Adam, Mayor Pro Tem, Thousand Oaks City Council
Bob Engler, Councilmember, Thousand Oaks City Council
David Newman, Councilmember, Thousand Oaks City Council Mikey Taylor, Councilmember, Thousand Oaks City Council Andrew Powers, City Manager, Thousand Oaks
Dear Mayor McNamee, Councilmembers Adam, Engler, Newman, Taylor and Mr. Powers, We are the leaders of Adelante Comunidad Conejo, Buen Vecino of Conejo Valley and THRIVE Conejo, and we are all part of Conejo Unido.
We are writing to you out of concern about the upcoming resolution on School Crossing Guard Program Standards and Policies that is on the City Council agenda for February 14. While what is being proposed may seem reasonable and fiscally responsible on its face, we believe that it is out of step with:
• our community values
• the desire for Thousand Oaks to remain a welcoming city that attracts young families • other city goals, like providing open and responsive leadership to residents and a commitment to public safety.
Here in Thousand Oaks, we care about our quality of life. We want our city leaders to protect our trees and invest in the arts. Our open spaces and our excellent public schools are two of the biggest draws to our city, and Thousand Oaks families regularly volunteer and help raise money to help our schools be the best they can be. They are the heart of our neighborhoods.
We also want our city to prioritize safe streets for everyone. We want to live in neighborhoods that have a feeling of community, where it is safe for our kids to walk and bike to school.
Crossing guards add a sense of caring and connection to our neighborhoods. Beyond helping our kids safely cross the street and acting as a visible reminder for drivers to slow down, many crossing guards make an extra effort to greet and encourage our kids each school day. They also provide additional adult supervision and support that is crucial to that feeling of community and safety. These caring adults are beloved by children and their families.
3 conejounido
Enacting standards and policies that would immediately put nine out of twenty-four existing crossing guard locations in jeopardy is completely counter to our community ideals. As written, this new policy could potentially eliminate one third of our existing crossing guards! While we understand that our city leaders have a fiduciary responsibility to city residents, Conejo Unido feels that the proposed Crossing Guard policy is taking our city in the wrong direction. The safety of our children should always take precedence over cost savings. Doing otherwise sends a contradictory message to families who currently live in Thousand Oaks and to any families who may be considering a move to our city.
Conejo Unido also believes that the proposed policy conflicts with two existing city goals. • Providing government that promotes transparency and responsiveness to residents • Maintaining a strong commitment to public safety
The proposed policy removes direct decision-making about crossing guard locations from our elected officials and places the responsibility on city staff. This will create fewer opportunities to engage the community or for residents to give feedback about proposed cuts. Leaving aside whether the objective criteria and standards are adequate for every circumstance, it feels as though this process is meant to curb emotional appeals and eliminate debate.
Community members can file a written appeal of a decision with City Council, but there is a fee for filing an appeal, and according to the city's current User Fee Manual, appealing a Public Works administrative decision costs $1515!
It is already challenging for members of the marginalized communities that Conejo Unido represents to engage with city leaders; adding a large fee on top of that creates an equity issue that would be difficult for many residents to overcome. Our city should be making community engagement and feedback as easy and transparent as possible, not more difficult.
Thousand Oaks also has a goal of maintaining a strong commitment to public safety. Rather than cutting one third of our existing crossing guards, our city should create a Safe Streets Plan that adds more road safety features and traffic calming measures to make our neighborhoods more accessible for pedestrians, bikes, strollers and scooters. Let's do more, not less, when it comes to creating safer streets and communities.
In the end, a city's budget reflects its values. Decisions about crossing guard placement should be informed by data, but they should be made with an eye toward the bigger picture. Saving money should not be the primary driver for any decision about children's safety.
4 conejounido
We ask that you postpone the vote on the Crossing Guard Standards and Policies resolution until the Council has taken the time to consider whether it aligns with our community values, creates a welcoming and supportive environment for families and upholds city goals for transparency, responsiveness and public safety. Our kids are counting on you.
Sincerely,
Denise Benic, THRIVE Conejo
Rossanna Guerra, Buen Vecino
Lee Ann Holland, Leader, THRIVE Conejo
Lynda Karl, President of Adelante Comunidad Conejo
Willie Lubka, Director of Buen Vecino
Mandy Pollak, THRIVE Conejo
Amy Reed, Buen Vecino
Carole Shelton, Vice President of Adelante Comunidad Conejo, THRIVE Conejo Contact Information:
Adelante Comunidad Conejo Buen Vecino
www.adelantecomunidadconejo.org www.buen-vecino.org
[email protected] [email protected]
THRIVE Conejo www.thriveconejo.org
[email protected]
cc: Melissa Hurtado, Assistant to the City Manager
From: DCCV EBoard <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 1:15 PM
To: Bob Engler <[email protected]>
Subject: Comment on 10B - School Crossing Guard Program Standards and Policies CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Councilmember Engler,
At the February 2023 membership meeting of the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley, the membership voted unanimously in favor of the resolution below regarding support for keeping crossing guards stationed at CVUSD school sites.
If you have any questions about the resolution, our club or anything else please feel free to contact one of us: Club President Henry Montalvo, (310) 753-1265, Resolution submitter, Betsy Connolly, (805) 807-2254, or Lori Peters, Club Secretary, (805) 795- 2633.
Respectfully,
Henry Montalvo
President, Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley
Resolution regarding support for keeping crossing guards stationed at CVUSD school sites Whereas, the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley recognizes that children deserve safe places to walk and bike;
Whereas, the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley believes in the importance of street safety for all pedestrians and bicyclists in our community;
Whereas, the City of Thousand Oaks has had a lengthy history of providing crossing guards at key intersections near CVUSD (Conejo Valley Unified School District) schools during the hours before and after school to ensure that students can safely walk and/or bike to/from school; Whereas, the provision of crossing guards by the City shows a commitment to the safety of our community's children and those who may be accompanying them to/from school; Whereas, ensuring safe streets is a part of making healthy living a priority of the greater Thousand Oaks community;
Whereas, removing the judgment of elected officials from important quality-of-life decisions is inconsistent with good governance,
Therefore, be it resolved that the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley calls upon our City Council to reject depending solely on "objective criteria" (pedestrian and vehicle counts during school arrival and departure);
Be it further resolved that the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley urges local leaders to create more opportunities for enhancing walkability and bikeability in our city, including the continued support of the crossing guard program at our community's schools.
Be it further resolved that the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley urges the City of Thousand Oaks to strive to become a model walking city, where families trust that the streets are safe, kids get exercise and build confidence and independence, and neighbors watch out for each other.
From: Patrissha Patrissha <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 11:21 AM
To: David Newman <[email protected]>; Al Adam <[email protected]>; Bob Engler <[email protected]>; Kevin McNamee <[email protected]>; Mikey Taylor <[email protected]> Subject: Crossing guards
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Good Day All,
Patrissha
8 Dear Thousand Oaks City Councilmembers:
I join with many in the community to protest limiting the need for crossing guards. It is ludicrous to value money over the safety of others, and that is essentially what will be decided tonight. I live near Conejo Elementary School, and I am often a pedestrian during school hours when traffic is heavy. I have witnessed cars speeding on Conejo School Road and Los Feliz Drive (which is an area not in danger of losing a crossing guard), but there are low traffic residential areas in danger of losing crossing guards that have the same issues high traffic areas do (speeding motorists, reckless drivers ). Unfortunately, the city staff has determined that these locations do not meet the criteria to retain a crossing guard. Therefore, I am urging councilmembers to value life over money and vote to retain crossing guards wherever schools are located. After all, it only takes one motorist and not several to hit a child in a crosswalk. So, I reiterate; the quantity of traffic should not outweigh the value of lives nor should money.
Sincerely,
Patrissha
Thousand Oaks
9 Name City |Item # in favor/ Comment
Opposed
Kinsie Flame Newbury Park 10B Opposed Dear City Staff & City Council Members, I hope this email finds you enjoying our beautiful community. I have been to city council to discuss the crossing guard issue before, unfortunately this time, I'm in Cabo with my husband and If I tell him I'm going to speak at city council meeting on Valentines day via zoom, well, he may divorce me (just kidding :)), so you get a letter from me this time! Our Family lives across from Earths & we attend school at Banyan. I cannot tell you how important the crossing guard is at Earths, I'm positive if it wasnt for their knowledge of traffic flow, we would be tardy to school every single day. She ensures kids are crossing safely at a school that has over 300 kids driving into a dead end street with limited parking along with ensuring those who do not attend earths can get out of our driveway to get to our school.
At Banyan, unfortunately it has been YEARS since we have had a consistent crossing guard. Many families live across Lynn and don't feel comfortable with their children crossing the street. Would you let your child cross the Lynn Road without a crossing guard to get to school? Would you walk them to school crossing Lynn Road? I have seen someone lose their life, directly in front of me due to a motorcycle accident on Lynn, I personally would not ever walk across Lynn, unless there was a crossing guard. If parents cannot consistently count on crossing guards to be there, how are we supposed to commit to walking our children to school? It could be safe, it could not? That's not a chance any of us are willing to take.
I also teach after school programs at 7 different sites from Westlake, Thousand Oaks & Newbury Park & I will be the first to tell you that there are very FEW parents that follow basic driving safety laws when driving to and from school, its utter chaos. I sit on the Measure I Bond Committee, last week we had a meeting & there was talk about a "Left Turn Only" sign going in at a school and the cost.... Honestly, I laughed.
No one is going to follow that sign, most people will turn left, its truly amazing but parents have the hardest time following these rules at drop off & pick up. This is why Crossing Guards are so IMPORTANT, when community members see crossing guards, instinctively we are more aware, we understand there are children around & I believe are much more careful.
Each crossing guard costs the city $18,000..... Is $18,000 worth a child's life? Nope. Nope. Nope. By allowing the removal of crossing guards to be decided by numbers is reckless. Over the past 3 years (especially at Banyan) those living close enough to the school haven't had a chance to consistently feel safe walking to school, they haven't had the opportunity because there isn't a consistent crossing guard, and I've seen other schools who have had this issue. By taking away crossing guards from some schools, it's like saying they aren't important enough to get the opportunity to walk to school.
Aren't we trying to build a more environmentally friendly community? Isn't the goal to get people to walk more? Taking away crossing guards would discourage people from walking to school.
I ask, please keep our Crossing Guards. Please allow our children the ability to walk to school safely at all school sites. 10|
Name City Item # in favor/ Comment
Opposed
Meghann Newbury Park 10B Opposed I have vast concerns about the proposal to reduce crossing guards at school sites. The criteria used to make this decision, how many current students are walking, is flawed. Without crossing guards at these sites there will already be a reduction of walkers. It is currently not safe to walk without a crossing guard. I am particularly concerned about the intersection of Knollwood and Lynn Rd by Banyan elementary. This is a blind curve on a road traveled at a very high speed. Even with the flashing lights it is incredibly difficult to safely cross. I drive every day across Lynn from Knollwood, leaving the preschools one one side towards Banyan on the other side of Lynn. I often feel unsafe driving across that street because of the speed of the cars coming down Lynn and the difficulty seeing who is coming from the westbound lanes. If I feel unsafe in a vehicle, walking is out of the question. Our children's safety is of the utmost importance. After what happened to the Iskander boys because of unsafe drivers I would think the city would have a vested interest in doing everything possible to keep our children safe while walking in their neighborhoods.
Has the city involved the Sheriff's Department in its determination of intersection safety? How many speeding tickets are given on Lynn Road each time Deputies run radar in the area? Our neighborhoods were built with the idea that students have a neighborhood school within walking distance. There are no bus services for most students, based on the idea that neighborhood schools are walkable. Children deserve a safe route to school. It takes a village to make Thousand Oaks the wonderful city that it is. The City Council's piece of this village is to provide crossing guards so children can get to school safely. Please don't compromise their safety for money.
Andrew Horan Thousand Oaks 10B Opposed It is not safe to remove the crossing guard from that intersection. The light up crosswalk is not a replacement for a crossing guard.
I live next to Weathersfield and my daughter is a student there. I regularly cross through that intersection. I have personally witnessed multiple times where the crossing guard has almost been hit by vehicles and they are wearing a yellow vest with a stop sign. What chance do children have?
I also feel lied to by our traffic engineers. We were invited to a community meeting about the addition of a light up crosswalk on with he traffic engineers on December 19th. They seemed set on adding the light up crosswalk and it didn't matter what questions we had. We specifically asked if this was going to be a replacement for our crossing guard and they said emphatically no. It isn't a coincident that simultaneously we are on a list to lose our crossing guard and get a light up cross walk. The traffic engineers admitted that they hadn't spent time at the corner during drop off and pickup to understand the crossings.
There are a lot of other places our city can cut costs that isn't at the expense of the safety of our kids.
I cannot support any council member who supports the removal of crossing guards from busy intersections near schools.
Kristina Thousand Oaks 10B Opposed The safety of schoolchildren should be of highest priority. I live across the street from Weathersfield and have witnessed a number of near misses where the crossing guard was responsible for preventing a child from being injured. My child walks to and from school every day and we are comfortable with this because the crossing guard is an extra set of eyes making sure the kids are safe. If you remove the crossing guard, you remove an extra layer of protection for our neighborhood kids.
The school is structured to have parents drop off on Camino Calandria and Darlington. A majority of students are assisted by the crossing guard. Unfortunately, cars pickup speed coming down the hills on Darlington and Camino Calandria. The presence of the guard helps remind drivers to be cautious. The crossing guards have not only protected students but have ensured that traffic keeps moving.
As a math teacher, I believe in the power of using models in the decision making process. But this situation needs more than an equation or formula stating that a crossing guard is or isn't needed. Simply watch the traffic during drop off and pick up and you will see that the crossing [guard is a pivotal part of the daily comings and goings of much of the school. Please, keep our kids safe! 11 Name City Item # In favor/ Comment
Opposed
Democratic Club of the 10B Opposed Dear Mayor McNamee and Thousand Oaks City Council Members, Conejo Valley At the February 2023 membership meeting of the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley, the membership voted unanimously in favor of the attached resolution regarding support for keeping crossing guards stationed at CVUSD school sites.
If you have any questions about the resolution, our club or anything else please feel free to contact one of us: Club President Henry Montalvo, (310) 753 1265, Resolution submitter, Betsy Connolly, (805) 807-2254, or Lori Peters, Club Secretary, (805) 795-2633.
Respectfully,
[Henry Montalvo
President, Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley
Resolution regarding support for keeping crossing guards stationed at CVUSD school sites Whereas, the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley recognizes that children deserve safe places to walk and bike; Whereas, the Democratic Club of the Conjo Valley believes in the importance of street safety for all pedestrians and bicyclists in our community;
Whereas, the City of Thousand Oaks has had a lengthy history of providing crossing guards at key intersections near CVUSD (Conejo Valley Unified School District) schools during the hours before and after school to ensure that students can safely walk and/or bike to/from school; Whereas, the provision of crossing guards by the City shows a commitment to the safety of our community's children and those who may be accompanying them to/from school;
Whereas, ensuring safe streets is a part of making healthy living a priority of the greater Thousand Oaks community; Whereas, removing the judgment of elected officials from important quality-of-life decisions is inconsistent with good governance, Therefore, be it resolved that the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley calls upon our City Council to reject depending solely on "objective criteria" (pedestrian and vehicle counts during school arrival and departure); Be it further resolved that the Democratic Club of the Conjo Valley urges local leaders to create more opportunities for enhancing walkability and bikeability in our city, including the continued support of the crossing guard program at our community's schools.
Be it further resolved that the Democratic Club of the Conjo Valley urges the City of Thousand Oaks to strive to become a model walking city, where families trust that the streets are safe, kids get exercise and build confidence and independence, and neighbors watch out for each other.
12