The City Council has debated trimming the crossing guard jobs from the Greensboro Police Department’s budget since 2010. The city pays for the service even though most of the 21 crossing guards help children get to county-run schools. Cutting eight crossing guard jobs will save the city $69,000. The proposed budget suggests eliminating guards at the following schools: Claxton Elementary *Guilford Middle *Jackson Middle *Peck Elementary *Pilot Elementary *Sternberger Elementary *Washington Montessori The city manager also proposed eliminating the guard near the Industries for the Blind on West Lee Street. The county school system, which has budget troubles of its own, isn’t prepared to pick up the tab. School officials have said helping children cross streets is a public safety responsibility. “We believe that school crossing guards play a vital and important role in helping our students get to school safely,” said Nora Carr,cq the county schools’ chief of staff. “We are saddened this is being cut from city of Greensboro’s budget, especially when (the district) is already facing so many other cuts in other areas.” City staff members studied each intersection to decide which guard jobs to cut. They took into account how many people use the service, whether there is a traffic signal or stop sign in the area and the amount of traffic on the street. Contact Amanda Lehmert at (336) 373-7075, and follow @alehmert on Twitter

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