Facing new state requirements, the Henry County school board last week approved the hiring of a second school police officer to provide on-site coverage at the county’s elementary schools.
“It’s an unfunded mandate,” said school superintendent Dr. Jim Masters, “but I believe in it.”
The school district will pay the Henry County Sheriff’s Office $94,996 for hiring both school resource officers. The sheriff’s office provides police vehicles for the resource officers in the performance of their duties. Sheriff Keith Perry informed the board that the sheriff’s office incurs further expenses related to equipment and personnel requirements.
“When I add an officer on, it really costs me,” he said.
Sheriff Perry added that the new resource officer, former Kentucky State Police deputy commissioner Chad White, will have to attend a 40-hour school resource office class, take a refresher course and update training.
“But once I hire him, he has a year to get it done,” the sheriff said, adding that White would be sworn into duty by Sept. 1 by 12th Circuit Court Judge Jerry D. Crosby II.
Masters said he felt fortunate that the school district could hire an officer of White’s qualifications but noted the additional cost for hiring a second officer toward meeting the state mandate to provide campus police coverage.
“I just wish the state would provide us a little assistance with that,” he said.
In other action, the board approved setting the school levy tax rate at 71.4 cents per $100 of assessed real estate value and 71.6 for personal property for a 4% increase plus “exonerations” granted by the state department of education. That total accounts for a $339,629 taxpayer increase from the $5.8 million in taxes received last year to an estimated $6.2 million for this fiscal year based upon a 96.75% tax collection rate.
The tax levy reflects a lower tax rate than last year’s 72.4 and 73.7 cents per $100 rates for real estate and personal property.
“Not many times you get to keep the revenues and lower the tax rate,” said board member Tony Whalen.
The board also approved an agreement with Lexington architect, Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects, PLLC for plans to resurface the high school track and design a concessions building at the high school athletic complex. In a related matter, the board tabled approval of an agreement with contractor Tennis Technology, Inc. of Louisville to resurface the track at a base cost of $160,000 due to the inclusion of details related to construction of the concessions building. The board tabled action until Dr. Masters received clarification of the documents from the contractor.
In other action, the board approved the addition of a part-time position for occupational therapist that Dr. Master informed the board was needed to meet the current student case load in the district. The board also approved fundraisers for athletic programs, including volleyball, track and field, and softball. Another fundraiser approved authorizes Campbellsburg Elementary to create an Amazon “Wish List” for parents and supporters to buy special education supplies and materials.
Masters noted that teachers often create the wish lists for parents to buy materials and supplies that “typically they’ll use for decorating their classroom or instruction.”