To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JOE HOFFMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
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APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH ALL CITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. FOR CROSSING GUARD SERVICES, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $184,744.80, FOR THE TERM AUGUST 02, 2022 TO JUNE 30, 2023
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Agreement with All City Management Services (ACMS) will provide for supplemental crossing guard services within the City of Redondo Beach. Crossing guards provide a valuable service by ensuring safety for the pedestrian community and students who walk to and from the various schools in Redondo Beach. A previous annual agreement with ACMS expired in June 2022.
BACKGROUND
On August 03, 2021, the Redondo Beach City Council approved a one-year pilot program to utilize ACMS for supplemental crossing guard services at a cost of $57,823. That Agreement allowed for three crossing guards to be hired as a supplemental workforce to the City’s crossing guard program at an hourly rate of $26.77. The pilot program proved to be beneficial to the City and on April 5, 2022 the City Council approved an amendment to the Agreement with ACMS to increase the number of crossing guards for the existing term of the agreement from three to six. The added locations increased the agreement’s not to exceed amount by $25,000 for a new total of $82,823.
Crossing guards provide a valuable service to the community by increasing visibility and overall safety of pedestrians and students who walk to and from various schools in Redondo Beach. Crossing guards assist in guiding community members and students across streets which can become highly trafficked by motorists and bicyclists. The Crossing Guard Program is managed by the Special Operations Bureau of the Police Department. Crossing guards are deployed to locations in the City which have been identified as high pedestrian crossing areas. Twenty-two locations have been identified as needing crossing guard services. All of these locations are in close proximity to Redondo Beach schools which support a large student population walking to and from school each day.
The Police Department faces on-going challenges finding qualified applicants for the position of crossing guard. Fourteen crossing guards are currently eligible to staff the twenty-two locations. Generally, this is due to the abbreviated schedule for crossing guard duties. Crossing Guards are utilized on a part-time basis, before and after school hours. Additionally, our Department and other Police Departments in the region face challenges in retaining crossing guard personnel. Vacant crossing guard locations are backfilled by other employees, such as Police Officers, Municipal Service Officers and Community Services Officers. Backfilling with alternative Police Department employees creates inefficiencies. It is much more effective to utilize supplemental crossing guard services.
The Redondo Beach City Council approved an increase to the Police Department’s Fiscal Year 2022 - 23 operating budget for supplemental Crossing Guard services. Decision package #58 was approved for $155,000 which allows for an increase in supplemental Crossing Guards from six to eight. City Council added an additional $19,375 for a ninth supplemental crossing guard to staff the specific additional intersection of Inglewood Ave. and 182nd St., increasing the crossing guard locations to twenty-three and a total one-time budgeted amount of $174,375.
ACMS has increased the hourly cost for a supplemental crossing guard by $1.74 per hour, and is also experiencing difficulty in fully staffing their company with crossing guard personnel. Due to their staffing shortage, they believe there may be occasions when they will not be able to provide the staffing for all nine supplemental crossing guards. During those occasions the City will only be charged for the actual crossing guards provided, thus, the potential for reducing the quoted annual cost. ACMS has quoted a cost, not to exceed, $184,744.80 to staff nine supplemental crossing guards for the term of this Agreement.
COORDINATION
The Police Department coordinated the preparation of the agreement with the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Police Department budget includes one-time funding of $174,375 for supplemental Crossing Guard staffing. It is unlikely that the full not to exceed amount in the agreement of $184,744.80 will be utilized. If later in the year, it’s projected to do so, additional funds will be requested as part of the mid-year budget review to cover the roughly $10,000 budget shortfall.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Agreement with All Cities Management Services
• Certificate of Insurance- All Cities Management Services