Buffalo Grove to Dist. 21: Pay for crossing guards or lose service

The Buffalo Grove village board sent a message to Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 Monday night: Either formally agree to share the costs for crossing guards or lose the service.

Trustees also said the agreement reached in August to temporarily split costs, which was extended in October and ends Nov. 13, can only be renewed until the last day of school before winter break - and only if the district pays in advance plus pays for services since August. Buffalo Grove officials estimated the total bill at $5,500.

At Monday night's meeting, the village board tabled an intergovernmental agreement to share costs because District 21 has not made any payments toward past due amounts over the past two years and has delayed voting on its portion of the agreement.

In 2013, Buffalo Grove began charging District 21 and two other districts for crossing guards. Buffalo Grove says District 21 has not paid the $24,000 it owes. The district, however, has said it never agreed to pay for crossing guards and the responsibility should fall on the village.

Village Trustee Jeffrey Berman said he did not want to jeopardize children's safety, but said, "Did we ask District 21 if they believe that ComEd would continue to provide them electricity if they refused to pay their electric bill for two years?"

Trustee Joanne Johnson pointed out that the school district gave notice in August that its operating fund has a $3.1 million surplus.