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Board approves time-limited addendum with township for Class 3 officers after lengthy debate
Summary
After multiple amendments and a roll-call vote, the board approved an addendum to the shared-service agreement with the Berkeley Heights Police Department for Class 3 special law enforcement officers that was amended to run through Aug. 31, 2025, rather than the longer initial term. The vote followed discussion about sick-time, market-rate language and whether township costs should be capped.
The board debated an addendum to the shared-service agreement with the Berkeley Heights Police Department to formalize the use and funding of Class 3 special law enforcement officers (SLEOs) in district schools. Concerns focused on the term length of an addendum that originally extended through 2028, the potential for uncapped costs (sick time, overtime) and a desire for clearer market-rate language.
Board members proposed and approved an amendment that set the addendum term through Aug. 31, 2025, giving the board and the township time to review financial impacts and negotiate longer-term terms. Legal counsel confirmed the board could set a different end date for the addendum than the underlying contract and recommended attaching emailed clarifications from the township that defined "market rate" (fuel cost provisions) to avoid later ambiguity.
Several members requested historical invoices and spending data to compare how neighboring districts structure similar agreements and to determine whether the district should pursue a different cost-sharing approach. Public commenters also urged more caps and transparency: resident Eric Samson said the current language "accept[s] such an open ended agreement" and asked the board to seek clearer terms.
The motion to amend the addendum (to an end date of 08/31/2025) passed on a roll-call vote; the amended addendum was then approved by the board. The board directed counsel and administration to follow up with the township to embed clarifying market-rate language and to provide the board with historical shared-service billing information.
What happens next: The addendum will run through Aug. 31, 2025; the board asked administration to compile prior SLEO-related invoices and to negotiate clarifying language with the township so future renewals reflect agreed definitions of cost and market rate.
