A.G. Gancarski
On Monday, the Jacksonville City Council Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee mulled a local bill requiring the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to station crossing guards at elementary and middle schools.
But a lack of specifics and data led to a motion for deferral.
The bill, to be carried in Tallahassee by Rep. Kim Daniels, would only apply to Jacksonville — a concern of multiple committee members in agenda, one that didn’t fully abate in the committee discussion.
Councilman Reggie Brown, who carried the bill in committee discussion, noted that because of changes in school structures, 7th and 8th graders are deprived of crossing guards.
K-6 is mandated by the state, Brown said, and expanding this program would mean more safety and more jobs, Brown said.
“The time to me is right now,” Brown said, noting that the city is well-positioned financially this year compared to the past.
“Most people think middle school aged youth are responsible enough to cross the street. That’s probably true when you get to 14 years of age,” Brown said, but given Jacksonville’s history of pedestrians being hit by cars, caution should prevail.
Councilman Greg Anderson wondered why this needed to go to Tallahassee; Brown’s thought was “it would have more teeth” if handled on a state level, and that Daniels has gotten input from constituents demanding the change.
Anderson came around to the idea, on the grounds of “safety for our children,” but lack of details concerned him beyond the committee stop.
Councilman Aaron Bowman harbored similar concerns, wanting the formula extended to private and charter schools to “figure out how big a bogey this is for us.”
Councilman Scott Wilson also had qualms about potential recurrent cost impacts, saying that further evaluation is needed — and that this matter isn’t one of urgency, allowing for that kind of review.
The cost, per the Council Auditor: $300,000 for 27 public middle schools. Expect an uptick to that number if private and charter are thrown into the mix, as a floor amendment mandated.
And given the Oct. 20 Duval Delegation hearing on this bill, the matter is time-sensitive.
Rules will mull this measure Tuesday, at which point some of these questions raised by bill language and scope may be answered.
If all is clear, this could be on Council agenda next Tuesday regardless of deferral in this committee.
