CLAY COUNTY – Parents who were worried when they heard crossing guards were missing from some schools two weeks ago, can be relieved they’re back at their posts.

Crossing guards at several high schools weren’t at their usual post a few weeks ago, leaving parents, the county and the school district in the dark on their whereabouts. When word got around, county manager Howard Wanamaker jumped to action immediately.

“The situation has been handled,” Wanamaker said. “I met with officials about the seven school crossing guards removed about one or two weeks ago and they’ve been reinstated into those positions and they will be covered.”

Crossing guards, despite holding posts around the county at school locations, are a function of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office’s budget and operation. It was CCSO Sheriff Darryl Daniels that made the call to move seven crossing guard positions from their usual post. The reason wasn’t malicious – it was to fill openings as required by state mandate.

“Due to shortages at the critical locations of elementary and middle schools, we reallocated to utilize the high school crossing guards to fill those openings as influenced by the requirements of the state statute,” CCSO Public Information Officer Ronnie Freshour said.

All elementary and junior high locations are required to have crossing guards, but high schools aren’t. After some holes opened up at elementary and junior high locations, CCSO had to get crossing guards to those locations as soon as possible to satisfy state law. That’s why Daniels made the call to move seven crossing guards from high schools, according to Freshour.

Wanamaker said a crossing guard committee was created recently to handle situations like this in the future and work toward creating a strategic budget for CCSO that includes the necessary crossing guard locations. Crossing guards make up $686,000 of the sheriff’s budget. That’s 57 positions at $12,000 each.

The committee will also examine other facets of crossing guards at county schools.

“There are more items to discuss in regards to this,” Wanamaker said. “We have requirements and hazardous conditions that we need to take a look at and really get those up to speed across the board.”

Wanamaker said that neither he nor Superintendent Addison Davis were notified of the re-assigned guards. All posts have since been filled.