Loading...
5.2. SR 03-22-1999 rCI ---'\) ( )j tfl< Item #5.2. MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Patrick D. Klaers, City Administrat~k March 22, 1999 ~ DATE: SUBJECT: City/School Liaison Program Update For the last 20 years or so, the school has reimbursed the city 42 percent of the wages and benefits paid to the police officers assigned to the school liaison program. The city paid the remaining 58 percent, along with all other costs associated with training and equipping a police officer. . About 18 months ago, in the fall of 1997, the city/school relationship changed as far as funding the police liaison program. The School District requested that a D .A.R.E. officer be provided to them free of charge since this service could be obtained from the county "free of charge". After some joint discussions, the city agreed to provide the D.A.R.E. officer at no charge to the School District, provided that the city could get reimbursed for the other two officers in an amount which was closer to the actual cost. The response to this city contingency for providing free D.A.R.E. service to the School District was a general acknowledgment that it makes sense for the School District to pay closer to the actual cost of the services that they were receiving, and that they were willing to discuss this city goal. In 1997, the city budgeted and received $75,000 from the School District for police liaison services. In 1998, the city budgeted and received $60,000 from the School District for police liaison services. In addition to this amount, the city took $18,150 out of its D.A.R.E. reserve to help finance the 1998 liaison program. This total for 1998 then approached what would have been 42 percent of three officers. In 1999, the city budgeted $70,000 to be received from the School District for the liaison program, and $10,500 from the D.A.R.E. reserve. Again, this is estimated to be 42 percent of the wages and benefits for three officers in 1999. Recently, the School District's location of secondary students has changed. In past years, all of these students were in Elk River and today only some of these students are in Elk River as there is a new junior high in Rogers and a new junior high in Zimmerman. In looking at this situation, the School District has indicated its desire to spread around its crime levy dollars based on a percentage of secondary . students in various communities. 13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330. TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 . . . This past winter, the city was advised that the School District is looking at other alternatives to meet its police liaison needs. In this regard, the School District was considering approaching the county to provide liaison services to the district at no charge. The county is currently providing this service to the junior high in Zimmerman. The school liaison program was a topic of discussion at the most recent city/school joint meeting and the city/county joint meeting. Accordingly, everyone should be familiar with this issue. The Police Department has a strong desire to retain this program in the Elk River schools, as it is believed that there is a tremendous spin- off benefit throughout the community as the school contacts provide the officers with a great deal of assistance in dealing with all types of crime issues. A committee was set up to review the school/city liaison situation. The results of two meetings is that: based on a percentage of dollars available through the crime levy, and based on a percentage of the secondary students in Elk River, the School Board has approved allocating $43,000 to the liaison program in Elk River. The goal of both the city and the School District is to establish this understanding for a five year term, and have it set up by percentage in case the student ratio changes or the crime levy formula changes. (In these cases then the dollar amount will automatically be adjusted.) This is not exactly what the city had hoped for 18 months ago when we were discussing the D.A.R.E. program, but I certainly understand the changing situation in the School District and the School Board's position regarding liaison services. I also clearly understand the Police Department's position regarding this program, and I support that position. Even though the proposal is $27,000 less from what is in the 1999 budget, and even though there are limits to what is available in the D.A.R.E. reserve to help finance the liaison program, I am nonetheless recommending approval of the school's offer. In this regard, in the 2000 budget, alternative revenue sources will have to be identified to help fund this program, and there will need to be some "belt tightening" in the Police Department budget (i.e.: conferences, replacement of equipment, new requests). Recommendation It is recommended that the city enter into a five year agreement by way of a letter of understanding to accept approximately $43,000 from the School District for the school liaison program, and to have the funding based on a percentage of available dollars and percentage of secondary students in the community.