With the municipality’s crossing guard coming to an en
d today, a Dresden business is stepping in to fill the void.
Burns Restaurant is footing the bill to have a crossing guard stay on at Highway 21 until the municipality installs a crossing device near Dresden Area Central School.
Owner Rob Burnett says because it’s a private venture, there are some limits to what the guard is allowed to do.
“He’s not legally entitled to stop traffic, only the municipality is,” Burns explains. “But he’s allowed to stay at the side of the road and tell the kids when it’s safe to cross and kind of help them get across.”
Burnett says paying out of his own pocket to have Jim Cracknell, the regular crossing guard in Dresden, stay on is his way of giving back to the community.
Cracknell will remain in place until new crosswalk devices are installed, which is expected to happen sometime next spring.
