- September 18, 2024
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The School Resource Deputy and Crossing Guard Program will cost Flagler Schools nearly $1.2 million for the upcoming school year.
The School Board approved an interlocal agreement for the program with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at its July 25 meeting.
The school district and the FCSO will continue to share the cost of 10 school resource deputies plus a sergeant and a commander. But Flagler Schools will have to pay the entire cost of a new SRD position for the Rise Up alternative school program, Coordinator of District Safety Tom Wooleyhan said.
Wooleyhan said the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Safe Schools recommended the district add an SRD to serve the alternative program, even though it is located on the Flagler Palm Coast High School campus. FPC has two other SRDs on campus.
The district will have to pay the full cost of the additional SRD because the position is not in the FCSO’s budget as approved by the County Commission.
The additional deputy will also serve as an SRD for the district’s summer programs, Wooleyhan said.
The added SRD will cost the district $142,548 in salary, benefits, equipment and operating costs, according to a district document detailing the interlocal agreement.
The SRD Program will cost the district $918,948, not including overtime. The Crossing Guard Program will cost the district another $127,337 for a total of $1,188,833 for the 2023-24 school year.
We have to do this. We already voted down the guardian program, and safety’s non-negotiable.”
— CHRISTY CHONG
The FCSO provides the district with crossing guards for Belle Terre Elementary/Indian Trails Middle School (four), Buddy Taylor Middle/Wadsworth Elementary (three) and one each for Bunnell Elementary and Rymfire Elementary. The district pays 100% of the cost for the crossing guards.
The district is also responsible for SRD overtime, such as covering after-school activities, and paying for a replacement when an SRD is absent and the position can’t be filled by the sergeant or commander.
The exception is a vacancy because of an operational requirement, such as being called away for hurricane duty. In that case, the FCSO will provide a deputy at no cost to the district, according to the agreement.
Board member Sally Hunt, concerned about the budget, questioned why the district would have to pay the full cost if a replacement SRD is needed.
She said she wasn’t in favor of the agreement because the replacement cost wasn't being shared, but she added that she would vote for it because of the program's necessity.
“We have to do this,” said board member Christy Chong. “We already voted down the guardian program, and safety’s non-negotiable.”
The board voted 4-0 in favor of the agreement.
