Chief deputy: new MOU would fix school resource officer billing shortfalls, county still faces annual losses

Brown County's chief deputy said the county has taken losses on the school resource officer (SRO) grant since its 2018 start because the school and county use different fiscal cycles. He told the council that, although the federal grant was written as a full reimbursement, the mismatch in accounting cycles and recurring returns to the grant have left the county paying portions of deputy costs each year.

"Every year, money has been returned," the chief deputy said, noting examples of returned amounts and an annual shortfall recently in the neighborhood of $67,000. He described a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which the school would seek 75% reimbursement and the county would cover the remainder; the new MOU would also fund a second SRO position after a Department of Homeland Security audit recommended additional on-site coverage. "The new MOU is to pay for 75% of the officers," he said. The chief deputy said staff will convene the auditor, school representatives and county accounting staff to clarify invoicing and ensure the county captures all eligible reimbursements.

Council members asked for documentation and for staff to work with the auditor and the school to prevent future returns of grant money. The administration said they will bring a formal MOU and supporting figures to a future meeting before the council signs off on any county signature or appropriation. The discussion concluded with a plan to coordinate invoicing and tracking to reduce the historical shortfalls and to proceed only after the MOU and accounting changes are reviewed by the auditor.