(Pottawattamie Co) The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office held another lengthy conversation Tuesday morning regarding the hiring of an additional School Resource Officer position.
Last week, the board asked Sheriff Andy Brown to bring back more information regarding a 28E Agreement and how the position would be paid for.
In August, Corporal Kurt Ferguson with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office started his duties as a shared School Resource Officer for the Treynor, Underwood, Tri-Center, Riverside, and AHSTW School Districts. Corporal Ferguson’s position is paid for through the Sheriff’s Office budget, which is taxed out of the general fund.
Supervisor Tim Wichman provided information Tuesday on why he feels it is important that the school districts levy for that position.
Chief Deputy Jeffrey Theulen explained that the funding for the proposed new School Resource Officer Position would not be coming from tax levy money.
Thuelen said if the grant doesn’t continue every year, that would be when the they would have to have another discussion on whether or not this position would continue.
Supervisors Chairman Brian Shea said he is in favor of the School Resource Officer position…
The Sheriff’s Office has a current employee of the Department that they would like to assign as the new SRO, but to do that, the Sheriff’s Office needed authority to hire a new Deputy to fill the opening. The Supervisors approved a motion to hire a new Deputy and agreed to get together to begin drafting a 28E Agreement with the rural school districts.
