SOUTH BEND — All but 4 of South Bend's current school crossing guards could keep their jobs in 2009 under a new proposed plan from city administrators. But some guards say it won't work, because they won't work under it.

It's been one of the most hotly debated parts of South Bend's proposed 2009 budget. During initial city budget hearings over the summer, city administrators said there would not be enough money to continue funding the crossing guard program next year.

Funding for the crossing guard program currently comes from the South Bend Police Department's budget.

Since the proposed cuts were announced, many of the 31 guards have attended every city budget meeting in an attempt to fight to keep their jobs.

Wednesday night, they got their wish.

"We've presented a proposal that we believe will allow us to keep at least some of the guards," said South Bend Mayor Steve Luecke (D), as City Controller Catherine Fanello handed out the proposed plan.

Click here to view South Bend's proposed plan to fund school crossing guards in 2009 (.pdf)

But there's a catch.

"The current 2009 budget has no money budgeted for crossing guards, and we cannot sustain the crossing guard program at current levels," Luecke said.

Instead, the city's plan is to fund the program at less than half its current cost.

Only 4 of the 31 crossing guard positions would be cut, but salaries would be drastically reduced.

"They'd be paid $12 an hour," said Luecke.

That rate is based on an estimate of 2 hours per day for 39 weeks each year, or an average salary of $4,680 per guard.

Currently, each guard makes $20 an hour, for an average salary of $8,695. The city pays more than $540,000 per year to fund the entire program.

Even though they're not full time employees, 22 of the 31 crossing guards are also currently receiving full benefits, including life insurance, long term disability, flexible spending dollars, medical insurance, and 7 days of sick time per year, according to Fanello's figures.

Some crossing guards at Wednesday's joint Health and Public Safety and Personnel and Finance Committee meeting disputed those figures.

Even so, all of those benefits would be cut under the new plan as well, along with the unit's "captain" position, uniform allowances, and all funding for "substitute" crossing guards.

Medical benefits would be continued for all 22 guards until July 1, 2009, under the new plan, but would be cut after that.

For some at the meeting, that goes too far.

"That $12 just does not cut it," said one guard.

"I can't go without insurance," said another.

Some even said the proposed changes could be a deal breaker.

"With gas, our insurance, maintenance on our cars, just taking time out of the day, no. It's not worth it," said Sandy Dreibelbeis, a crossing guard for more than 20 years.

But Dreibelbeis says benefits are a much bigger factor for most of the guards.

"That's the reason most of us took this job. That was offered to us — benefits and sick days — and we're being treated like we're asking for something now. We're not asking for any more than we have," she said.

But city leaders caution, right now, they don't even have the money to fund the reduced staff plan.

"This is coming from our budget, and I don't know where I'm going to find the money," South Bend Police Chief Darryl Boykins told the committee.

But, as the clock continues to tick, Boykins says the city is running out of options.

"I'm hoping we can find the money for it because I think there is a need for us to have some sort of program to protect the kids. But [finding the additional $240,000] is not an easy thing to do. We have to come up with solutions, and we have to come up with them quick," Boykins said.

One suggested option at Wednesday's meeting is to dip into the city's "rainy day fund," or take any budget surplus from 2008 to help pay for the crossing guard proposal.

Another potential solution is a new partnership with the South Bend Community School Corporation.

"We have been talking with them about potentially sharing some costs, but nothing's been decided yet," said Boykins.

"We are definitely willing to listen," added South Bend Interim Superintendent James Kapsa, who also attended Wednesday's meeting. "This is an important thing for our students."