Should Elmhurst Share Crossing Guard Costs?

ELMHURST, IL – Two Elmhurst aldermen on Monday urged the city to consider sharing crossing guard services with the local school district.

The suggestions came before the city approved a three-year contract with Aurora-based Andy Frain Services for the city's 20 school crossings.

In 2020, the City Council decided to outsource the crossing guard function to Andy Frain. Previously, the police department hired the guards, but annual savings of $70,000 prompted the council to switch course.

Three companies recently bid on Elmhurst's contract.

Connecticut-based Crossing Guard Services, which was founded in 2022, only recently contracted with agencies in Illinois and struggled to provide references, according to the city. And, unlike the other firms, Kansas-based All City Management Services proposed sharing liability with the city in the event of a claim.

"Andy Frain was the clear winner," said Michael Brennan, an alderman who heads the council committee that reviewed the process.

Andy Frain's cost per hour is $29.60, compared with $28.53 for Crossing Guard Services and $33.84 for All City.

The estimated cost of next year's contract is $306,880. That is considerably above the 2020-21 estimate, which was $213,200. If the estimate had risen with inflation, it would now be $258,517.

According to a city memo, 68 percent of Andy Frain's contract would go to crossing guard wages, at $20 an hour.

Alderman Rex Irby questioned that wage number.

"I personally have applied to Andy Frain, and I was quoted $17 an hour within the last year, so I'm not sure where the (city report) got the numbers from," Irby said.

No one had a definitive answer. Some suggested the company may be hiking the wages next school year or paying different rates based on experience.

Patch left a message Tuesday with the company.

Alderman Guido Nardini said he had contacted Elmhurst School District 205 board members about the possibility of sharing the costs of crossing guards with the district.

Alderman Michael Bram said he, too, would like to see cost sharing. In some places, school districts handle all the expenses.

"I think they should be at the table," Bram said. "I think they should probably, if not take on all the costs, (should) take on some of the costs in the near future."

The City Council voted 12-1 for Andy Frain. Irby dissented, while Alderwoman Jennifer Veremis was absent.