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Burke County seeks COPS grant partnership with schools to fund security upgrades and Ridge Park lighting
Summary
County staff recommended accepting a STOP School Violence Act (COPS) grant—$624,991 project cost with $468,743 expected award and $156,248 local match (county share $40,000)—to fund school safety equipment and county park lighting at Ridge Park; the board left the item on the decision agenda for later approval.
County grant manager Lindsay Stockman told the board Nov. 3 that Burke County and Burke County Public Schools have applied for a federal competitive COPS grant (created under the STOP School Violence Act) to fund a multi-year school-safety and community project.
Stockman said the total project cost is approximately $624,991, with a hoped-for federal award of $468,743 and a required local match of $156,248. The county’s direct local contribution to the match is $40,000 to fund lighting at Ridge Park (county portion) so that an unlit baseball field can be safely used; the remainder of the match—about $110,000—would be provided by the school system from capital reserves for cameras, portable metal-detector units for athletic fields, bus camera upgrades and staff badge-monitor systems.
"So basically, what the county would like to do is use our portion of the grant funds to put more lighting out at Ridge Park," Stockman said. She added the school district plans to prioritize high schools first and then work down as funds allow; the grant length is three years.
Commissioners clarified that the county’s $40,000 is cash (not in-kind), and Mandur confirmed county capital reserves could cover the expenditure. The manager said the county is also pursuing a simultaneous COPS application for additional SRO funding to increase school resource officer coverage in middle and elementary schools that currently lack full-time SROs.
Stockman said the grant is competitive and rigorous; if approved, staff will bring an acceptance and funding-resolution item back to the board at the decision meeting. The board left the item on the decision agenda for later action.
