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Carmel board probes $90/hour SRO rate and asks county for breakdown
Summary
Board members asked the administration to obtain a detailed breakdown from the Putnham County Sheriff's Office explaining how the $90-per-hour SRO rate is calculated, what it includes (salary, benefits, vehicle, etc.), and whether alternatives should be considered; no change in service was decided at the June 9 meeting.
Trustees pressed administration on June 9 for more detail about the district’s school resource officer (SRO) and school police officer (SPO) arrangements with the Putnham County Sheriff’s Office after staff described a disparity between an earlier $45/hour subsidized rate and a $90/hour figure now being charged for some officers.
Superintendent Plin said the district is still waiting for county officials to explain how the $90/hour figure is derived and whether it covers a full salary, benefits or other line items; he reported that the sheriff’s office planned a regional meeting to explain the calculation. The superintendent said the district currently funds two SROs at the high school and two at the middle school plus an SPO at each elementary school.
Board discussion: Trustees acknowledged the safety value of SROs and SPOs while urging tighter bargaining and clearer accounting. One trustee said the $90/hour figure effectively represents “100% of their salary” for time charged and that there should be room to negotiate, given that the district does not use officers’ services for the full year. Trustees asked administration to follow up with the county and return with a line-item breakdown and alternative options if the board wishes to reconsider levels of coverage.
Outcome: No final decision was made. Administration will report back when Putnham County provides a detailed breakdown of the $90/hr calculation and the parties hold the planned meeting.
