City creates pedestrian safety task force; questions remain

By Doug Spoon, Editor

The City of Menifee has officially recognized October as National Pedestrian Safety Month and announced it has formed a task force “to identify innovative solutions to protect the safety of all students walking to local schools.”

The City’s press release represents the latest effort by local officials to address a series of collisions between vehicles and juvenile bicyclists near schools since August. Five incidents reported in the media all occurred within the boundaries of the Menifee Union School District, where a reduction of crossing guards has generated controversy.

No one was seriously injured in the reported accidents – three of which occurred at or near the intersection of Menifee Road and La Piedra Road, and two at or near the intersection of Evans Road and Craig Avenue. But MUSD officials have not responded to requests for details on the number and placement of crossing guards this fall, making it difficult to determine how well covered that aspect of pedestrian protection is in MUSD school zones.

In recent correspondence with Menifee 24/7, MUSD superintendent Jennifer Root has not addressed those specifics. The district reported at the start of school in August that it planned to return 35 crossing guards to duty – 35 more than they had when campuses opened back up last spring. That is as specific as the district has been, other than reporting that MUSD is working with the City of Menifee to address pedestrian safety concerns.

MUSD officials made it clear they believed it was important to bring crossing guards back after a spring in which Root said they were eliminated after consultation with the district’s insurance carrier and legal counsel about liability. That decision was met with criticism from parents, which increased even as some crossing guards returned to duty for the current school year.

In Root’s most recent response to a Menifee 24/7 inquiry on Sept. 17, she wrote the following in an email:

“In regards to crossing guards, we currently have placed crossing guards within the school zones that we designated for a crossing guard. We do continue to recruit for the position so we have a pool as additional needs are identified. In the summer when we approved the hire of 35 crossing guards, this number was selected to ensure that we could fill positions quickly.”

Later in the day, Root wrote that, “I actually went over to ask our Personnel Services Department and currently we are not advertising for crossing guards. We would reopen the posting as needed.”

Root did not respond to further inquiry by Menifee 24/7 this week. But in district job fairs held in the last 10 days, openings for substitute crossing guards were advertised.

It is not clear whether there has been a shortage of applicants for the crossing guard positions, but school districts everywhere have had trouble filling substitute teaching positions and other positions. Both Root and Perris Union High School District superintendent Grant Bennett have filled in by teaching classes this fall.

“There is a substitute shortage across the country,” said Shelli Sullivan, president of the Menifee Teachers Association. “I tend to take a more liberal stance on things, but any time you pay people for doing nothing… I hope now that unemployment has been cut off, we’ll see more applicants.”

In its press release, the City stated for the second time that Menifee Police Department officers have “increased patrols patrols in response to safety concerns about students walking to school and the City regularly conducts traffic engineering studies to determine the need for additional controls, such as stop signs and signals.”

Captain Dave Gutierrez previously reminded students that they should not be riding bicycles in the crosswalk. Technically, a bicyclist is not considered a pedestrian, he said, but bicyclists will be allowed in the crosswalk if they are walking their bike.

The press release did not discuss the ways in which the City and PD will communicate and work together with local school districts in monitoring pedestrian safety.

“From precautions drivers can take, to increased attentiveness by pedestrians, this initiative serves as an important reminder that the safety of our community is a shared responsibility,” Mayor Bill Zimmerman said. “It is critical that we continue these efforts year-round to keep our roads safe.”

The press release included these safety tips:

-- Do not use a cell phone while driving, biking, or walking.

-- Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop when turning or entering a crosswalk; never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk; follow the speed limit; maintain caution when backing up; do not drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

-- Pedestrians should cross streets at crosswalks or intersections; look for cars in all directions, including those turning; and walk on sidewalks when available.

-- Bicyclists should ride with the flow of traffic and follow all the same rules of the roadway as vehicles, including stopping at stops signs and red lights.

For more information about how the City of Menifee protects public safety, please visit www.cityofmenifee.us and www.menifeepolice.org.