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Committee backs three-year SRO contract, recommends district cover 75% of 9‑month cost
Summary
The committee recommended a three-year renewal of the School Resource Officer (SRO) contract, endorsing a proposal to shift responsibility for roughly 75% of 9‑month SRO costs onto the district’s Fund 80 to sustain services amid reduced grant funding.
The Education Operations Committee voted June 24 to recommend that the full board approve a three‑year renewal of the Wausau School District’s SRO contract beginning July 1, 2024, and endorsed a funding proposal that would have the district cover about 75% of SRO costs for the nine‑month school year.
Wausau Police Chief Matt Barnes and district staff described the SROs’ roles as largely proactive—relationship-building, crisis response and school programming—and noted the department’s therapy‑dog program and summer programming as part of the teams’ work. Barnes said reductions in outside grant funding for the department’s victim resource unit and other supports have created a budget shortfall, prompting talks about shifting more of the SRO cost to district funding (Fund 80).
Josh Bushman summarized the finance mechanics: under the existing arrangement the district paid about $181,000 per year (roughly 50% of the original SRO cost estimate). The department’s proposal would have the district cover 75% of the SRO cost during the nine‑month school year, with an estimated budget impact “just south of $100,000” and a potential mill‑rate effect of roughly 1–2 cents per $1,000 of equalized value.
Board members asked about training and jurisdictional issues when SROs respond to incidents at schools outside the city limits; presenters said SROs attend a state SRO certification program and coordinate with the county sheriff when appropriate. Presenters also acknowledged they do not currently track detailed SRO deployment data and offered to supply data at a frequency the board requests.
After discussion the committee moved and approved a recommendation that the full board accept the proposed three‑year SRO contract and associated funding arrangement.
