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Submitted On: <br />May 21, 2024, 10:44AM PDT <br />City Council Workshop and <br />Regular Meeting - Submit your <br />written public comment <br />City of Pleasanton <br />Full Name First Name: Pam <br />Last Name: Fiala <br />Email (this entry is disclosable <br />if included)pam.fiala@icloud.com <br />City Council Meeting Date May 21, 2024 <br />Meeting Type Workshop at 5 PM <br />Agenda Item Number Special Mt <br />Comments To Mayor Karla Brown, Vice Mayor Julie Testa, and City Council <br />Members Valerie Arkin, Jack Balch, and Jeff Niebert <br />From David and Pam Fiala, Pleasanton Residents & Crossing Guards <br />Re Proposed budget cuts — Crossing guard <br />We understand the severity of the budget issues and would like to <br />voice our concerns about the elimination of the Pleasanton Crossing <br />Guard Program. <br />As you have gathered public comment through surveys and <br />meetings, we, as well as many other residents, have noted that <br />public safety ranks number one for importance. The safety of our <br />children is the key role the crossing guards serve and funding for <br />this program should not be eliminated. The City of Pleasanton <br />promotes green strategies which includes students walking and <br />biking to school. The guards provide public safety every school day <br />to thousands of kids throughout Pleasanton as well as to the local <br />neighbors who regularly cross busy streets. Long ago, crossing <br />guards were students but unfortunately, times have changed and <br />electric cars which make no noise, speeding cars, and distracted <br />drivers have created unsafe conditions for guards, as well as kids, <br />who are traveling to school by walking, biking, and scootering. <br />During this school year, at least one guard was hit by a distracted <br />driver in Pleasanton and sent to the hospital with serious injuries. <br />No one wants to see a student hit by a car! <br />A second role the crossing guards play is that of a community <br />ambassador greeting all and keeping their eyes out for any <br />suspicious situations. As ambassadors we are dealing with very <br />young children that are learning to be independent as well as <br />learning the safe way to traverse busy intersections. The guards <br />teach the children to not cross until the speeding cars have passed <br />and to be alert for cars that are making right hand turns through