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Commission approves MOU with Munising Public Schools; concerns raised about cell-phone law and data sharing
Summary
The commission approved a memorandum of understanding with Munising Public Schools establishing a school liaison officer arrangement as an alternative to a sworn SRO; several commissioners raised concerns about recent state rules on student cell-phone use, recording rights, FERPA overlap and potential civil-liability exposure.
The commission considered a School Liaison Officer agreement with Munising Public Schools that the staff described as a lower-cost alternative to a sworn Student Resource Officer (SRO). Staff said the liaison role would include participation in truancy meetings, emergency planning and safety functions but would not impose additional costs on the city in the near term.
One commissioner said new state rules limiting students’ access to cell phones could complicate data sharing and recording practices in schools and raised concerns about how FERPA and criminal-investigation protocols intersect. "It's really points 13 through 17 that I have the biggest problem with, about immigration sharing," a commissioner said, noting uncertainty over how the new law affects parents' ability to access video and how that would clash with law-enforcement processes.
Another commissioner moved to approve the MOU with Munising Public Schools after some members asked to table the item pending direct counsel review; the motion to approve carried by voice vote. Staff said the MOU had been reviewed by school and city attorneys and that the agreement is intended to document how liaison duties would work if the district does not fund an SRO this year.
Why it matters: the MOU defines how city officers and school staff will coordinate on safety, investigations and student supports; commissioners asked for clearer overlap language with FERPA, body-camera policies and the updated school handbook to reduce legal risk.
What’s next: the MOU was approved at this meeting; commissioners asked staff to follow up with any clarified school handbook text and to route attorney clarifications to the commission if legal concerns arise.
