It has always been sort of a cooperative effort between the City of Great Bend and Unified School District 428 to provide school crossing guards. Now, after actions by the City Council Monday night and the earlier action by the School Board, that relationship has been revised and formalized.

The council Monday night approved an agreement with the district to share the costs of school crossing guards and employ them through the district. 

Historically, guards have been recruited, hired and paid by the city, City Administrator Kendal Francis said. Outside of the cost to the city, as guards are police department employees, it adds unnecessary workload to the staff and often times results in patrol officers filling in for crossing guards in emergencies. 

Additionally, it created inefficiencies for USD 428, when needing to address personnel issues, Francis said. There were also safety concerns.

So, city staff approached the district with the proposal. It is a one-year renewable agreement that will start when the 2019-20 school year begins in August.

• City responsibilities include: Training of crossing guards through the Great Bend Police Department; providing each guard with safety vest, stop sign and whistle; and paying half of crossing guards’ salaries up to $15,000 yearly. City will make periodic payments based on the receipt of the bill from USD 428.

• USD 428 responsibilities include: Recruitment and hiring of crossing guards; administration of all personnel issues pertaining to crossing guards; assignment of crossing guards to locations adjacent or close to USD schools; paying half of crossing guards’ salaries and all salaries once city has paid its maximum share of $15,000; and issue all pay checks to crossing guards.

The USD 428 Board approved this resolution on April 8.