Representatives from Maple Valley School District told the Eaton County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 17 they are concerned about delays in providing sustainable School Resource Officer (SRO) coverage.

Kimberly Kenyon, a Maple Valley school board trustee, read a proclamation the board adopted on Dec. 8 asking the Eaton County Board and the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office to prioritize a responsive, sustainable SRO model. Kenyon said the district spans two counties, creating jurisdictional complexity, and described the county sheriff’s office proposal as not financially feasible for long-term district budgets. She said state funding intended for school safety will arrive late in fiscal year 2026 and urged mutual-aid agreements or limited deputization of neighboring Village of Nashville officers as a potential option.

Several Maple Valley parents and board members in public comment said they had sought consistent law-enforcement presence for student safety and urged cost-neutral or cooperative solutions. Speakers said prior SRO coverage (24 hours per week last school year) had been reduced when an officer accepted another position after staffing changes in the sheriff’s office.