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Brookings superintendent says proposed SRO funding shift would cost district about $92,000 a year
Summary
Dr. Summer Schultz told Brookings Radio the city has notified the district that SRO funding will change Jan. 1; the district would move from paying 75% of one officer to 75% of two, increasing annual district costs by about $92,000 and creating a midyear budget strain of roughly $42,000–$45,000.
Dr. Summer Schultz, superintendent of Brookings School District 05-1, said the city informed the district last month that funding for its school resource officers will change on Jan. 1.
"The funding for the school resource officers will be changing come January 1st," Dr. Schultz said. She told the host that the district historically paid 75% of one of the two SROs and that the city is now requesting the district pay 75% of both. "In January, it would be um approximately half of about $92,000," she said, noting the district would face a tight midyear budget if it must cover the additional cost immediately.
The superintendent described the change as a timing problem as well as a fiscal one: the city's fiscal calendar and the district's budget cycle are offset, and the district already submitted its budget for the current year. That means the district may need to revise plans or find additional funds midyear, she said, and that further discussions with the city and police department are expected.
Dr. Schultz emphasized the value the district places on the two officers in the buildings for relationship-building and safety coverage but said whether the district can afford to maintain both positions if asked to cover 75% of each is an open question. "We really do. We really do," she said of the district's desire to keep the program, adding that there appear to be ongoing negotiations and work to determine next steps.
The interview did not include a formal motion, vote, or a definitive decision; Dr. Schultz said the district and the Brookings Police Department will need to clarify employment and funding arrangements before the district can commit to a final course of action.
