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WSFCS presents Open Gate weapons‑detection pilot; board weighs grant and fund‑balance options
Summary
District security staff showed results from an Open Gate weapons‑detection pilot, describing throughput, portability and costs. Staff and board members discussed grant timing, fund balance and challenges at open campuses.
Winston‑Salem/Forsyth County Schools staff returned to the board on Jan. 28 to expand on last year’s pilot of an Open Gate weapons‑detection system intended as a less intrusive alternative to traditional metal detectors.
Security Director Chad Williams and technical partner Brent Cook described the system’s capabilities: two lightweight towers that screen people without requiring backpacks or purses to be divested, battery operation, fast setup and an average throughput of about 300 students per 15 minutes per unit. "They don't have to take their backpacks off. They don't have to lay their purses down," Williams said. Brent Cook added the units are roughly 90% faster than traditional metal detectors in their pilot experience and carry a two‑year manufacturer warranty.
Staff presented rough cost and deployment estimates. Brent Cook gave a consolidated figure for the proposed purchase and installation as about $1.881 million (tax and installation included) for a larger rollout discussed during the meeting; Williams said there are no recurring subscription fees for the units. Superintendent Tricia McManus told the board that the district applied for a state safer‑schools equipment grant (the district sought about $500,000 under that application) and that the district’s draft audit shows an available fund balance around $11,000,000 — a number the board said it wants to preserve but could use in part for security purchases if the grant does not cover the full cost.
Board members raised operational questions. Several members said Open Gate performs better than traditional detectors in speed and student experience; others asked about open campus high schools where perimeter control and multiple access points complicate single‑entry screening. Williams said Open Gate is one layer of a multi‑layer strategy that includes cameras, keypads and community programs; he said open campuses may require additional measures such as keypad scheduling or fencing where feasible.
Board members also asked about procurement and timeline. Vice Chair Bohannon and others said the district initially purchased traditional detectors with state grant money because Open Gate units were cost‑lier at the time; the board discussed whether combining grant funding and fund balance would permit a faster system‑wide deployment. Staff explained the grant — if awarded — would cover an estimated portion and was limited by the grant terms (the state grant as applied would allow purchase of equipment for middle schools under the current grant structure). Members asked for the final audit to appear at the next meeting so the board can consider action promptly rather than wait for an uncertain grant schedule.
No formal board action on purchasing Open Gate units occurred at the meeting; staff characterized the presentation as informational and said they would return with award results and final cost breakdowns once the audit and grant awards are confirmed.
