09-09-1997 CC MINSPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL
AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 728 SCHOOL BOARD
HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1997
Members Present:
Members Absent:
Staff Present:
Mayor Duitsman, Councilmembers Dietz, Thompson, Farber, and
Holmgren
None
Tom Tyler, Police Sergeant; Bryan Vita, Juvenile Liaison Officer; Bob
Kluntz, Juvenile Liaison Officer; Steve Miller, Juvenile Liaison Officer;
Tom Zerwas, Chief of Police; and Pat Klaers, City Administrator
Call Meetin.q To Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the special joint meeting of the Elk River
City Council and lSD 728 School Board was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Mayor
Duitsman.
Joint Meetin.q
School Board Chair Jeff Gongoll introduced the topic of the meeting which was a
discussion on the school D.A.R.E. program and the school junior/senior high liaison
program.
The City Administrator provided some background information on the current
operation of the school D.A.R.E. and junior/senior high liaison program. It was
noted that the three officers are all trained in D.A.R.E. and that they rotate in their
positions; one position is strictly a junior/senior high liaison officer, one position is
strictly an elementary D.A.R.E. position, and one position is mainly a junior/senior
high liaison officer who also teaches secondary D.A.R.E. The positive benefits of
having the Elk River officers interact with the students at various grade levels were
discussed.
The City Administrator stated that the City Council discussed this issue at its
meeting on 9/8/97. At this meeting, the Council agreed to offer the elementary
D.A.R.E. program to the school district at no charge provided that the payment
for the school liaison program move closer toward the actual cost of the service.
Currently the school reimburses the city at a rate of 42 percent of the officers
salary and benefits while the city pays 58 percent of these expenses plus all of the
other officer related expenses. Since the officer is in the school 75 percent of the
year, it is the goal of the city to move toward this 75 percent repayment level
over the next few years. For the 1997-98 school it is suggested that this repayment
percentage move to approximately 47.5 or a total of $60,000 for two officers.
Further adjustments need to be made in future years in order to slowly move
toward the appropriate repayment level for the city services provided.
Elk River City Council Special Meeting
September 9, 1997
Page 2
Discussion took place regarding the existing D.A.R.E. program and the future
needs of the liaison program.
The School Board indicated that it would discuss this issue later in the evening
during its regular School Board meeting. The School Board thanked the City
Council for its input on this issue and for the opportunity to meet with them to
discuss this important topic.
3. Adjournment
There being no further business, it was the consensus of the City Council to
adjourn the special joint meeting with the lSD 728 School Board.
The special meeting of the Elk River City Council was adjourned at approximately
6:45 p.m.
Patrick D. Klaers
City Administrator