Fairport Harbor Schools moves closer to getting full-time school resource officer

Jul. 23—A plan to provide a school resource officer for Fairport Harbor Schools has come one step closer to reality.

Fairport Harbor Village Council, during its July 18 meeting, approved a resolution authorizing the village administrator and mayor to sign the contract for the SRO.

The school board holds its next regular meeting on July 25. At that gathering, it's anticipated that the panel will pass a similar measure, giving the district's superintendent permission to sign the contract.

Once both government entities seal the deal, it would allow the village Police Department to assign a school resource officer to the school district.

The full-time SRO would begin duties in the district's two schools next month, at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year. This officer would be responsible for supplying police protection to students, employees and visitors in Fairport Harbor Schools, according to the contract.

Fairport Harbor currently is the only school district in Lake County without an SRO.

Village Police Chief David Koran created a proposal to hire and pay for an SRO to serve the district. He took on the project earlier this year at the request of the School Board.

After developing an initial plan, Village Council authorized Koran to negotiate with the school district in establishing a formal contract for the SRO position.

At a May 16 council meeting, Koran said SROs are responsible for safety and security in a school and "perform positive acts of crime prevention as a liaison and informal counselor among students, staff and parents."

"An SRO also will work with school administration to create a positive, safe environment," he added.

In addition, Koran explained that the village would need to hire an additional full-time officer who would be assigned SRO duties.

"During the summer months, the SRO would be re-assigned to normal patrol duties for the police department," the contract states.

The contract between the village and school district for the SRO spans five years.

This agreement will automatically be renewed for successive five-year periods unless either party provides written notice at least one year prior to the end of each five-year term that they want to terminate or amend the contract.

Other key points in the SRO contract include:

—Wages and benefits will be funded 80 percent by the school district and 20 percent by the village.

—The school district will pay for vehicle maintenance and fuel costs for the SRO to use a village-owned patrol car. That cost is estimated to be $1,500 in the first year of the agreement.

Initially, the SRO would be performing duties at McKinley Elementar and Fairport Harding Middle and High School.

Eventually, the officer will work in a single building, once Fairport Harbor's new pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school is constructed. However, the school, which will be located on green space next to Harding on Vine Street, isn't projected to open for classes until the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

—The school district will pay the cost of training certification, which currently stands at $399; and foot the bill for any future training that is needed.

Koran, at the July 18 council meeting, said the panel made a "positive move" by granting the village mayor and administrator permission to sign the SRO contact.

"I think (having a full-time SRO) is good for the community, the schools, parents, students and everybody else involved that's going to benefit because of the safety of our kids," he said.

Councilman Frank Sarosy commended Koran for putting a lot of thought and research into the contract that he produced for the village and school district.

The chief's efforts also drew praise from Councilwoman Christina Bacnik, who has two children in Fairport Harbor Schools.

"On behalf of all parents in the district, thank you for doing what it took to get it done and do what's right," she said.