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Home My WebLink About1989-12-19; City Council; 10431; Crossing Guards$4 0 a al $4 5 al 5 Y m c al m co . CIT- OF CARLSB RECOMMENDED ACTION: Information only. No action required at this time. I -ExpLANA=oN: At the December 5, 1989 City Council meeting Ms. Kim Trujillo expressed concern that, on occasion, the Adult Crossing Guard assigned to the El Camino ReaVTamarack Avenue was not on duty and that a Police Department officer was not present as a substitute. Due to heavy traffic volumes at this intersection, she is requesting assurances that the assigned guard or a Police Officer will be at the intersection to assist Kelly Elementary School students. The Police Department administers the Adult Crossing Guard program in the City of Carlsbad by contracting with an employment agency to provide Adult Crossing Guards at five designated intersections in Carlsbad. These intersections are on the Suggested Route to School for various schools in Carlsbad. If the adult guard cannot be at his/her assigned intersection in the morning or afternoon, the employment agency is responsible for notifying the Police Department. An officer will then be stationed at the intersection, subject to emergency calls and availability. However, without prior notification that a guard will not be at his/her assigned intersection, the Police Department does not respond to that location to substitute for the Adult Crossing Guard. On an annual basis the City receives bids from employment agencies to provide the crossing guards. A new agency was hired this year as a result of being the lowest qualified bidder for providing the requested services. Problems have been encountered with that agency (see attached memorandums). To correct the problem, the Police Department has terminated the contract and re-hired the agency that previously provided Adult Crossing Guards for the City of Carlsbad. This action should eliminate the problems recently experienced. In addition, the Purchasing Department has included a renewal clause in the contract for up to a two-year extension of the contract. This action will help assure that a reliable agency can continue to provide adult guards for several years without having to bid yearly to provide services. Continuity with the employment agency is important so that responsible, trained guards are utilized each year. Staff was asked by Ms. Trujillo to investigate relocating the Adult Crossing Guard stationed on El Camino Real from the Tamarack Avenue intersection to the Kelly Drive intersection. This relocation, if implemented, would result in a change to the Suggested Route to School and the need to correct deficiencies on the route before the change could be initiated. The City of Carlsbad Traffic Engineer and Police Sergeant work closely with each school principal on the Suggested Route to School or any other traffic problems that may be occurring in and around school zones. The Traffic PAGE TWO OF AB# /D. 4 I/ Engineer has been in contact with Carol Herrera, Principal of the Kelly Elementary School. Ms. Herrera will discuss this matter with officials of the Carlsbad Unified School District and the Kelly School P.T.A. representatives and advise the City of Carlsbad if they believe a study to change the Suggested Route to School is necessary. Staff is aware of only Ms. Trujillo’s request to change the El Camino Real student crossing location. Without concurrence from the Kelly Elementary School Principal, staff will not change the Suggested Route to School. Many factors are considered when determining the route that students should walk or bicycle to school. The route is established to take advantage of existing traffic control devices and facilities, such as sidewalks. The collision history at the El Camino ReaVTamarack Avenue intersection does not suggest the need to change the route to school. Of the 12 intersection collisions during the past three years, seven were caused by drivers running a red light, three were caused by violation of the right of way (failing to yield), one by driving on the wrong side of the roadway and the other by improper lane change. A change in the existing Suggested Route to School would place students on the east side of El Camino Real between Tamarack Avenue and Kelly Drive where no sidewalk exists. Traffic safety at Kelly Elementary School has been discussed between staff and school officials for several years. Staff will continue to work closely with the Principal of Kelly Elementary School in this matter. Studies will be conducted, if requested, and the matter discussed at the Traffic Safety Commission, as necessary. Resolution of the absent crossing guard will improve safety at the intersection for students that cross El Camino Real to and from school each day. FISCAL IMPACT No additional impact at this time. EXHIBITS: 1. Location map. 2. Memorandum for Sgt. Carpenter dated December 4, 1989. 3. Memorandum for Sgt. Carpenter dated December 7, 1989. r-* LOCATION MAP - "" I326101 I BUS STOP -. ,- LIMIT LINE NOTE: SIGNALIZED INTERSECT1 I I I , I I I I ON I= """_ /I R49 LEGEND W66 -SCHOOL PEDESTRIAN CROSSING R49 -NO PED CROSSING - USE CROSSWALK R26/8 1 -NO PARKING/BIKE LANE R1-2 -YIELD R18 - RIGHT LANE MUST R20B - NO TRUCKS TURN RIGHT - SIGN t STREET LIGHT :. .I I. . ..: .. . - SIDEWALK ..... :.. I PROJECT NAME: INTERSECTION OF I EXHIBIT EL CAMINO REALITAMARACK AVENUE 1. DATE: 12-4-89 TO: CAPTAIN KELLOGG FROM: SERGEANT CARPENTER SUM: CROSSINGGUARD AS YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM RECENTLY WITH THE CROSSING GUARD AT THE INTERSECTION OF ELCAMINO REAL AND TAMARACK. WHEN APPLE 1 TOOK OVERTHE CONTRACT FOR CROSSING GUARDS AT THE BEGINNING OFTHE SCHOOL YEAR, I STRESSED TO THEIR SUPERVISOR, ELIZABETH CUNNIFFE, THE PROBLEM WE HAVE HAD PERIODICALLY IN THE PAST WITH FINDING A GUARD TO WORK THAT INTERSECTION. SHE DID NOT FORESEE THAT BEING A PROBLEM. BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO, THE EL CAMINO REAUTAMARACK CROSSING GUARD HAS BEEN SHOWING UP INTERMllTENTLY AT BEST. POLICE OFFICERS HAVE HAD TO MAN THE POST ALMOST DAILY. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HAS BEEN THAT FREQUENTLY WE HAVE NOT HAD ADVANCE NOTICE THAT THE GUARD IS GOING TO BE ABSENT, WHICH MEANS THAT THE CHILDREN ARE CROSSING ON THEIR OWN. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH MS CUNNIFFE, RUTH FLETCHER, AND SUSAN DUFFY FROM WESTERN TEMPORARY SERVICES, WHO HAS BEEN AWARDED THE CROSSING GUARD CONTRACT UP UNTIL THIS SCHOOL YEAR. APPLE 1, WITH THE APPROVAL OF RUTH, IS GOING TO AGREE TO A MUTUAL DISSOLUTION OF THE CONTRACT, WITH WESTERN PICKING UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. I TALKED WITH WESTERN TEMPORARY THIS AFTERNOON AND THEY WILL PROBABLY RETAIN THE 4 GUARDS CURRENTLY WORKING, AND WILL FILL THE VACANT POSITION ASAP. I BELIEVE THIS NEW ARRANGEMENT WILL SOLVE THE CURRENT PROBLEM. IN PRIOR YEARS WHEN WESTERN HAD THE CONTRACT,THERE WERE INFREQUENT DAYS WHEN THE TAMARACK AND ELCAMINO REALGUARD WOULD BE ABSENT. WESTERN WOULD NOTlN US HOWEVER, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TIME TO FILL THE VOID. THE CURRENT SITUATION WHERE WE ARE UNAWARE, AND THE CHILDREN ARE CROSSING THEMSELVES, IS UNACCEPTABLE. SUE HAS GIVEN ME ASSURANCES THAT SHE WILL Do HER BEST TO SEE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. RESP CTFULLY SUBMITTED, Jw H.CARPENTER SERGEANT TRAFFIC DIVISION DATE : 12-7-89 TO: CAPTAIN KELLOGG FROM: SERGEANT CARPENTER This morning I was advised that the assigned crossing guard for the intersection of El Camino Real and Tamarack was several minutes late for reporting to duty. I spoke with Janine Bishoff of Western Temporaty Services, who advised me that there might have been some confusion over the exact times required of the guards. Bishoff was under the impression that the majority of the children crossing the intersection do so around 0745. Consequently she told the crossing guard io report for duty around 0730. The guard apparently arrived at the intersection at 0738. I went over the provisions of the crossing guard contract this morning with Ruth and also with Ms Bishoff of Western. The times agreed upon require the guard to be on duty no later than 0730. The contract assumption by Western does not officially take place until Monday 12-11, and Western has been providing the guard the last couple of days prior to the legal implementation of the contract. Ms Bishoff has assured me that the current guard on duty is very reliable and now that the precise time has been established, this problem should not re- occur. We have had good experience with Western for many years, and now that the confusion associated with the withdrawl of Apple 1 from the contract and the assumption by Western is over, I would expect that we will receive prompt and reliable service again. ResDectfullv submitted. H. Carpenter Sergeant TRAFFIC DIVISION