County Finds Funding for SROs in All Schools : Compromise on Budget Reached at Work Session

by K.G. Beavers, Messenger Staff Writer

Franklin County commissioners voted on Jan. 25 to implement a plan to put eight additional school resource officers (SRO) in county schools, beginning immediately.

The commission met in a special called meeting to consider two resolutions amending the county budget for school resource officer implementation at all Franklin County school sites. Resolution 1a-012513 would amend the general fund budget of Franklin County for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. This amendment was tabled at the Jan. 15 county commission and sent to the Jan. 23 work session. Resolution 1b-012513 would amend the board of education general fund budget of Franklin County for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. The school board approved this amendment at its Jan. 14 meeting.

On the first resolution, the commissioners moved to reduce the budget amount for the program from $340,000 to approximately $220,000. The provision to purchase vehicles for the officers totaling $120,000 was removed. The commissioners then voted 14-0 to approve the new amount, with $110,000 coming from the county and $110,000 coming from the school board for the remainder of this school year.

Moving to the second resolution, commissioner John Page opposed any funding plan that would use Basic Education Program (BEP) money to fund the SRO program. “The $61,000 needs to be in the schools for the teachers,” he said.

“We are not going to hire any more teachers this year,” said Director of Schools Rebecca Sharber. “The BEP money was unexpected and would roll into the fund balance anyway. We have a budget set for this year, and we are following it,” she said.

The resolution to amend the board of education general fund budget was approved by the commissioners, 13-1 (Page voted “no”). The school board will have to amend the total amount coming from the fund balance from $170,000 to $110,000.

“The resolution funded the SRO program until the end of this fiscal year, and it will take $110,000 out of our fund balance,” said commissioner Johnny Hughes. “Going forward, the worst case scenario would take about a 5-cent property tax increase. We are going to explore all options to fund the program, including grants, budget cuts in other areas and possible referendums for the people to vote on, such as a wheel tax or a sales tax increase,” he said.

“We are not done addressing this issue,” said Hughes.

At a Jan. 23 work session, the Franklin County commissioners considered the various options available to fund eight additional school resource officers in all county schools. Currently there are four SROs serving the high schools and middle schools. 

Proposals considered included adding only three SROs until the end of the school year, and then adding additional SROs over time. Officers would have been assigned to both North Lake and Broadview elementary schools, and another officer would have traveled around the county each day to visit the other elementary schools. This proposal was not a viable solution, as officials said all schools deserve equal protection.

Finance director Andrea Smith pointed out that if the budget amendment passed, the county commission will need to raise taxes in August, as there are no cuts to be made to pay for the program. 

Chairman Eddie Clark said this proposal might require a tax increase of 1.5 cents for the first year, and possibly a 5- to 7-cent increase for the following year. He said the commission would be looking for other sources of funding, including grant money.