Mayor Kevin McFadden received authorization from the Owensville Board of Aldermen on Monday to execute an agreement with the Gasconade County R-2 (GCR-2) School District for the Owensville Police Department (OPD) to provide a school resource officer (SRO) during the 2024-25 academic year.

“The board will be reviewing the contract with the city at the May 20 meeting which will place an SRO in the district on a full-time basis,” said Gasconade County R-2 Superintendent Dr. Jeri Kay Hardy. “We are signing the contract with the city because then we have assurance that we will have an SRO throughout the year.”

During the 2023-24 academic year, the district’s directly employed SRO left during the spring, requiring the district to seek support from OPD to cover the remaining portion of the academic term.

Following approval, the new program is set to begin on June 1 and run through June 30 of the following year before automatic renewal on July 1, 2025.

The contract will assign a full-time, commissioned police officer from the OPD to the district, equipped with a police emergency vehicle and all necessary police equipment.

Applicants for the position will be required to have one year of experience as a full-time commissioned officer. The district will cover 100-percent of the SRO’s total salary and benefits for all time spent on active duty within the district and the cost structure will remain the same upon renewal of the contract.

“I was pleased that we are getting fully reimbursed for all associated costs,” said Cathy Lahmeyer, Ward 1 alderman and president of the board.

Other than providing the uniform, duty belt, related gear, vehicle, and required training, only under special circumstances would OPD incur any other expenses related to the employment of the SRO officer.

These include needing to train a new SRO officer, in which case the school district and police department would equally split the cost of initial training,

Furthermore, the district would not be required to pay any fees if the SRO officer was placed on long-term leave due to an illness or injury occurring outside of their SRO duties, if an OPD staffing shortage requires reassignment of the SRO to other police duties until the city can hire necessary personnel, or for any time OPD needs the officer to respond to other emergencies in the city.

In the case of unforeseen closures of the district, the city would be permitted to furlough or reassign the SRO to other duties.

The SRO will exclusively remain an OPD employee throughout the length of the contract and will be required to attend all mandated department training and maintain Missouri POST certification.

Together, the OPD and GCR-2 School District will enforce city, state, and federal laws at the district facilities and functions, as well as federal Safe and Drug-Free legislation and the State of Missouri Safe Schools Act.

The district will provide office space for the SRO with a telephone and access to a computer with internet, lockable filing space, and all supplies related to SRO programs such as Fun Day, ALICE training, Red Ribbon Week, and others.

Owensville Police Chief Scott Griffith told The Republican on Monday that the SRO programs will promote good relationships between students and officers, so they are seen as a resource to students in need — not only enforcers of laws.

The SRO may also assist the district with suspensions or expulsion hearings for students who violate laws or district policies.

If necessary, the SRO may also attend hearings for at-risk students relating to assessments or individual educational plans.

OPD and GCR-2 will both participate in selecting SROs and appointments will be made by the chief of police with approval by the school district superintendent or designee.

School administrators will supervise the SRO and the superintendent or designee will have ultimate district responsibility of managing the SRO program.

Any performance-related concerns will be reported to both OPD and the district superintendent and annual performance reviews will be completed by the chief of police with input from school district officials who regularly work with the SRO.

The SRO will keep weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly statistics in regards to arrests, juvenile apprehensions, police reports taken at the schools, residence checks, class presentations and number of students taught, as well as any other statistics mutually agreed upon.

These statistics will be reported to the district and OPD annually.

Both parties will evaluate the agreement before May 1 so there will be enough time to implement any needed adjustments or clarifications prior to automatic approval. They can also provide written notice of their intent not to extend the agreement before June 1.

Bill No. 2024-8, authorizing McFadden to execute this agreement, was introduced by Ward 2 Alderman Denise Bohl, a motion for a second reading was made by Lahmeyer, and the motion for a third and final reading was  made by Ward 2 Alderman Matt Kramme. On a unanimous vote it became Ordinance No. 1444.

Roadwork set to occur in Owensville has been delayed. Capital Paving is expected to start the night work on Highway 28 through town this week.

Owensville City Clerk Peggy Farrell reports $2,946.88 collected by the city during April including real estate and personal property taxes of $2,029.18, merchant licenses totaling $225, and the cigarette stamp tax of $692.70.