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Gahanna seeks to renew SRO agreement with schools, approve $169,000 radio upgrade request
Summary
Council heard two public safety items: a school resource officer agreement to cover two officers at Gahanna Lincoln High School (to be presented to the school board May 17) and a supplemental appropriation request of $169,000 for phase 2 radio console upgrades; the radio item will go to the May 5 regular meeting without emergency designation.
Gahanna’s Department of Public Safety presented two action items to council Monday: a school resource officer agreement with Gahanna‑Jefferson Public Schools and a Phase 2 upgrade to the city’s radio console and back-end communications equipment.
The school resource officer (SRO) agreement covers two officers assigned to Gahanna Lincoln High School and includes a cost‑share arrangement described in the contract materials. The chief told council the agreement has a not‑to‑exceed amount based on salary and benefit calculations and that the school board is scheduled to consider it on May 17. "This agreement has a not to exceed amount based on those salary and benefit calculations," the chief said. The transcript did not provide a clear numeric total for the not‑to‑exceed amount. The chief asked council to pass the agreement to cover the officers through the 2025–26 school year. Council scheduled the item for first reading and consent on May 19.
The second item would supplementally appropriate $169,000 to continue phase 2 of a multi-year radio infrastructure replacement, specifically upgrades to the radio console and related installation work. "We are requesting supplemental appropriation a hundred and $69,000, which includes that 10% and also the ancillary equipment," the chief said, adding the purchase will follow the state term schedule and that Motorola is the vendor for statewide backbone compatibility.
Council discussed whether components at the shared MEC (Mech) Center would be part of this purchase and whether partner agencies would contribute. The chief said some components are shared but that for this specific purchase "no" cost share from partners at the MEC was expected; he added the equipment remains interoperable so partner talk groups can operate through the upgraded equipment if needed. The department had initially requested emergency and waiver but the council determined the radio appropriation should be scheduled on the May 5 regular agenda rather than as an emergency measure.
No formal votes on either contract were recorded at the meeting. The SRO agreement will move forward to the school board on May 17 and return to council as scheduled; the radio console appropriation request will appear on the May 5 regular meeting agenda for council action.
