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Versailles police funding discussion focuses on lost school SRO revenue and Midway contribution uncertainty
Summary
County leaders and the Versailles police chief discussed the impact of school resource officers transferring to the school district, the history of Midway’s interlocal contribution, and how a possible reduction in Midway funding could raise the county’s share of the police budget.
County leaders and the Versailles Police Department discussed budgetary implications of recent changes to school resource officer (SRO) funding and possible renegotiation of Midway’s interlocal contribution to the Versailles police budget.
Chief Rob Young told the Woodford County Fiscal Court he and Mayor Dake previously met with former superintendent Danny Atkins about the school district taking over SRO coverage. “They…formed a Woodford County School Board Police Department…and they authorized the two positions,” Chief Young said, adding the department has already hired one current officer to serve as an SRO. Chief Young said that change means the county will “be losing the monies that were coming from Woodford County Schools” — a $75,000 reimbursement the schools had paid for two SROs.
Chief Young said the two SROs’ combined salary and benefits were about $233,000. He described the SRO transition as an opportunity to reallocate officers to a dedicated two-officer traffic unit focused on roadway safety, but said starting such a unit from new hires would also raise costs.
Judge Kaye and multiple fiscal court members asked about Midway’s contribution under its interlocal agreement with Versailles. Chief Young summarized the history: the original interlocal in 2004 set a dollar amount (said to be $30,000); an interlocal signed in August 2023 used a percentage-based approach (initially about 4.25%), which rose to 5.5% in fiscal year 2025 and was proposed at 6.5% for fiscal year 2026. Chief Young said Midway currently accounts for nearly 12% of the countywide call volume for police services, while its agreed percentage contribution has been lower.
Court members said they were concerned that Midway leaders were seeking to renegotiate their contribution. Chief Young said discussions among Midway and Versailles leaders, including Mayor Dake and Judge Kaye, had occurred and that Midway might pay about $54,000 less under a renegotiated figure; if so, the county’s obligated share — calculated as 38% of the city budget after subtracting school and Midway contributions in the county’s interlocal — would increase.
County attorney clarified that the county’s interlocal differs from Midway’s: Midway’s contract covers an agreed percentage of operating costs but does not contribute to capital expenditures, while the county shares capital costs 50/50 with the city of Versailles.
Squire Gill and others asked for more granular call-volume data for unincorporated areas (zones 2 and 3) to better gauge equitable cost-sharing. Chief Young said he had total county and Midway call-volume figures in his packet but had not separated unincorporated-zone calls and would provide that breakdown later.
Squire Gill noted the police operating budget for fiscal 2025 was $6,663,316, with $637,420 in capital costs split between Versailles and Woodford County; she said Midway’s growth in events and development made its call volume rise. Chief Young said he believes the county provides a strong level of service and characterized Midway’s current percentage of contribution as “a bargain” given its call volume.
No formal contract changes were voted on at the special meeting; discussion centered on information-sharing and the potential budgetary consequences for the county if Midway reduces its contribution.
