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Wheeling asks Dist. 21 to split cost of crossing guard services

Following a several-month standoff between the village of Buffalo Grove and Wheeling Township Elementary School District 21 over who should pay for crossing guards, another municipality is asking the school district to split the cost.

But talks this time around are a little different, District 21 spokeswoman Kara Beach said Tuesday.

Wheeling provides crossing guards at seven District 21 intersections, and Beach said the village is asking the district to start paying half the costs, or about $25,000 a year.

Beach said Wheeling's proposal only asks the district to pay for future services, unlike Buffalo Grove's request that District 21 pay the village $24,000 for two past years of crossing guard services, in addition to future services.

"Rather than stemming from back pay, this is about crossing guard services moving forward," Beach said.

Beach said Superintendent Kate Hyland and Wheeling Village Manager Jon Sfondilis have been talking about a potential intergovernmental agreement for a few months.

The crossing guards are trained by the Wheeling Police Department, and they are paid for a minimum of three hours of work five days a week.

Sfondilis said a cost-sharing plan was something the village had considered seeking for a while and officials decided to present the idea to District 21 toward the end of last year.

"This isn't a tumultuous situation by any means," Sfondilis said. "Both sides believe crossing guards are the responsibility of the other party, so the fair thing is to partner and share the cost."

Sfondilis said the village also wants the two parties to be equally accountable for any crossing guard liabilities.

"If we are to partner with District 21, we have to have equal accountability when it comes to workers comp claims and lawsuits," Sfondilis said.

Beach said the school board is likely to discuss an agreement that is being drafted at it April 21 meeting.

The Village of Buffalo Grove stopped providing crossing guards at three intersections after winter break when months of negotiations failed. Buffalo Grove argued that it had given notice of its intent to begin charging for crossing guards years ago and that two other school districts have been paying.

Because the crossing guards are no longer available, Beach said that students who attend Longfellow Elementary School and live west of Arlington Heights Road now have the option of riding a bus - an option recommended by state officials. Bus services are typically reserved for students who live more than 1.5 miles from their school, but exceptions are made when dangerous conditions or intersections are present.

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