JACKSON – The Township Council has authorized a shared services agreement between the municipality and the Jackson School District to provide two school resource officers (SRO) for the school district in 2018-19.
Council President Ken Bressi, Vice President Robert Nixon, Councilman Scott Martin and Councilwoman Ann Updegrave voted to authorize the agreement during the governing body’s May 8 meeting. Councilman Barry Calogero was absent.
The Jackson School District currently employs a director of security, 10 full-time and three part-time security officers.
Two SROs who are full-time employees in the Jackson Police Department work in the school district under a shared service agreement with the township. The SROs are based at Jackson Memorial and Jackson Liberty high schools, but serve and offer lessons at all schools as needed, according to the school district.
Under the shared service agreement, the school district pays the salaries of the SROs during the school year and the township covers their salaries for the rest of the year and covers their benefits, according to the school district.
During the public hearing on May 8, resident Andrew Kern expressed support for the SROs. He said the SROs do a fantastic job and he said that since he has two children who attend high school in Jackson he is thankful for the officers’ presence.
In commenting on the council’s action, Bressi said, “It is just something, I think given the times, that is needed more so now than ever. The (SRO) program is a great program and it puts regular cops in schools with the kids and they get to know each other a little more.”
In a related matter, on Nov. 6, Jackson’s voters will be asked if they want to pay a total of $411,611 more in school taxes during 2018-19 so the school district can add six full-time security officers and provide full coverage of all schools. Jackson has six elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools.
School district administrators said approval of the additional funds would result in a permanent increase to the tax levy. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $327,047 would pay about $10 more in annual school taxes if the ballot question is approved, according to district administrators.