To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: KEITH KAUFFMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
TITLE
title
APPROVE AGREEMENT WITH ALL CITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. FOR A CROSSING GUARD SERVICES PILOT PROGRAM FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $57,823 FOR THE TERM OF AUGUST 3, 2021 TO JUNE 30, 2022.
end
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This agreement with All City Management Services will provide supplemental crossing guard services to the city. This agreement will assist the Police Department with staffing existing crossing guard locations. Approval of this agreement will allow for a one-year pilot program for the term of August 3rd, 2021 through June 30th, 2022. Prior to the expiration of this agreement, the program will be evaluated and consideration given to extending this agreement or pursuing a Request for Proposal with other vendors.
BACKGROUND
For FY 2021-2022, City Council approved $57,823 for crossing guards. These funds were budgeted to supplement the city’s current crossing guard services, which is currently staffed solely by city employees. In the future, and after evaluation of this pilot program, the Police Department will look to extend this agreement with All City Management Services or seek other options, to bring back to Council for approval.
Currently, the Police Department staffs twenty-two Crossing Guard locations throughout the City. At this time, there are fifteen eligible Crossing Guards who can serve these locations daily during the school year. With the recent reopening of in-person instruction at school campuses, the Police Department has experienced a steep rise in the need to fill these posts with other police personnel. This supplemental staffing has come from Patrol Officers, Motor Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Municipal Service Officer’s, Police Cadets, and VIPs.
The need to use other personnel to supplement crossing guard staffing is the result of several different issues. Due to the split schedule (am and pm shifts) and limited shift hours there has been a consistent turnover within the crossing guard program. Many of the guards who are interested in these work hours are seniors who do not tend to commit to the position long term. Additionally, there has been a shortage of qualified applicants for several years, which was further complicated by COVID-19, limiting our ability to fill vacant positions in a timely manner. Currently, the police department has seven crossing guard vacancies and is working with Human Resources to find qualified applicants.
All City Management Services will provide three crossing guards, for four hours a day, at a rate of $26.77 per hour. This rate is more cost effective than paying a Police Officer, Motor Officer, or Municipal Service Officer’s to fill these positions. It also allows key personnel to focus on their primary responsibilities.
All City Management Services has been providing Crossing Guard services to cities in the South Bay for fifteen years. They currently contract with the City of Torrance, the City of Manhattan Beach, and the City of El Segundo to provide these supplemental services. The rate of $26.77 was established by the current crossing guard wage ($15.00 an hour) plus the cost of overhead (payroll tax, workers compensation leave, scheduling, liability insurance, etc.). The Crossing Guard Supervisor and Traffic Sergeant will assess daily the number of vacancies and will assign All City Management crossing guards as allowable under this agreement.
The pilot program with All City Management Services will allow implementation prior to the start of the school year, which begins August 18th, 2021. This will ensure the safety of the students and residents by providing the appropriate number of crossing guards, while not taking other city personnel away from their primary responsibilities.
In 2019, the City of Torrance surveyed several companies that provide crossing guard services and cities prior to extending their agreement with All City Management Services. Torrance Police Department discovered All City Management Services was the only company that works directly with police departments who are in charge of their city’s crossing guard programs. Torrance Police Department learned other companies that provide crossing guard services work directly with the school district and not the police department. Due to this discovery and coupled with their past experience with All City Management Services, Torrance Police Department extended their agreement and has realized success through use of this vendor. The Police Department requests approval of this one-year pilot program agreement to evaluate the benefits of incorporating outside vendor crossing guard services
COORDINATION
The Police Department has coordinated this agreement with Financial Services at the direction of the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
Expenses: Revenues:
All City Management Services $ 57,823 Account code: 10021181-520040, Crossing Guard Contracts and Professional Services.
APPROVED BY:
Joe Hoefgen, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Agreement with All City Management Services
Certificate of Insurance