Crossing guards in Lehighton will see a $2 bump in their hourly rates, effective this month.

On a 6-0 measure, borough council on Monday agreed to increase the rate of pay for crossing guards from $10 an hour to $12 an hour.

Mayor Ryan Saunders explained the terms of the three-year agreement.

Saunders said for the 2024-25 school year, the agreement calls for 60% reimbursement from the school district, and the borough pays 40%.

He said that in 2025-2026 school year, the district will have 70%, and the borough 30%, with the rate of pay $12 an hour.

In the 2026-27 school year, Saunders said the district will be responsible for 85%, and the borough 15%, with the rate of pay $12.25 an hour.

He said in the 2027-28 school year, the district will pay the full amount, with the borough contributing nothing. The rate of pay will be $12.50 an hour.

“To be proactive for our crossing guards, we are making the 2025-2026 pay rate effective immediately because it’s the end of the 2024-2025 school year, in order to maintain our crossing guards,” Saunders said. “It’s extremely important to us to maintain our crossing guards in the borough, as they are an integral part in keeping our community’s children safe.”

Saunders said that essentially the crossing guards are employees of the borough, and that the borough bills the district for their financial responsibility of it, and that is how it will continue to work.

“It is what’s necessary to maintain the guards we have,” he said. “I know the guards will appreciate it, and so will the (borough police) chief.”

After council amended the agenda to discuss the crossing guards annual salary, it then approved a resolution to approve the salaries for crossing guards at $12 an hour.

Councilman John Kreitz was absent.

At last month’s borough council meeting, Saunders said that he attended the Lehighton Area School Board meeting to discuss the crossing guard issue.

He said the school district will look to take over 100% of the financial responsibility, while the borough’s contribution is that it will continue to have its police department administer its functionality.

Saunders said last month that he was scheduled to meet with Lehighton Area School District Superintendent Jason Moser to discuss the crossing guard issue, and that he would report back to borough council by this month’s meeting.

Borough police Chief Troy Abelovsky said at that time the big question is if they’re going to stay on as crossing guards due to their current rate of pay.

Saunders said the crossing guards would essentially be employees of the school district.

Before borough council’s vote Monday night to approve the resolution, the pay rate for crossing guards had been $10 per hour, with costs shared between the school district and the borough, with the district covering 60% and the borough covering 40%.

Moser estimated the total cost for crossing guards is about $65,000.

Saunders emphasized last month the importance of increasing wages to retain crossing guards, and told the school board that if they don’t do something within the next month or so, they could lose at least one guard for sure, and two more potentially.

Saunders noted at that time that other districts offer higher wages, making it difficult to compete for staff. Palmerton Area School District pays guards $10 per shift, amounting to $20 per day for an hour of work.

He said at that time the goal is to ensure the safety of students, but added it only has so many officers on duty at those times, as police officers sometimes have to cover crossing guard duties when positions go unfilled.