This fall, voters will be asked if Clark-Pleasant schools can increase taxes to pay for added school safety.
Clark-Pleasant school board members approved moving forward with the referendum for a tax increase for school safety, which for a $100,000 home, would increase taxes about $33 per year.
This increase will bring in about $1.5 million a year for eight years, which officials have said could go toward a new school police department, security systems and mental health crisis counselors.
More than 20 people attended a school board meeting this week, asking about details of the new police department and security systems, with several saying they support the increase.
“It’s a reality in the world we live in today,” New Whiteland Clerk-Treasurer and resident Maribeth Alspach said. “I really appreciate the leadership here being willing to put their necks out and be proactive about it and not waiting until something happens to react.”
Scott Alspach, New Whiteland resident and town council member, said the extra cost is negligible since it is for the safety of kids in school.
“You’re talking $4 a month to ensure your kids and my grandkids are safe,” he said. “It’s a no-brainer.”
The referendum would need a yes vote from at least 51 percent of voters who cast ballots in order to be approved. If voters say yes, the tax increase would begin in 2019, and the school district could begin using that money in the 2019-2020 school year.
Before the public question would go on the ballot, the school district would need approval from the Department of Local Government Finance within 10 days. Once approved, Clark-Pleasant will have until noon on Aug. 1 to submit the question to the county.
A common theme of the questions from local residents was where the resources for the new police department were going to come from.
School officials have said they want to create a school police department, with six to 10 officers who will be fully armed and trained to work in a school setting. The district is also considering adding two police dogs who can search for drugs in schools, Superintendent Patrick Spray said.
Resident Lauren Boudi said the schools should use the resources already available and contract with local police departments for officers who would solely work at schools.
“I just think usually it’s better to use infrastructure that already exists,” Boudi said.
Spray said he would be willing to work with local police departments to set up a contract like that. The schools currently receive a grant to have three to four local officers at the schools each day. But officials have also said adding a police department would allow those officers to be in schools more often, and eventually could allow each of the district’s eight schools to have an officer.
Scott Alspach agreed Clark-Pleasant needs its own police department.
“There’s no way, even if you put both police departments together, they’re going to have enough resources or manpower to work here and out there at the same time,” he said.
Officials are also considering using retired police officers and military veterans to make up the new police force, Spray said. Retired officers would already have the training and would just need to go through the school resource officer training, which saves money for the school to use elsewhere.
“I’m a retired Army officer and we still serve,” military veteran Emmett Williams said. “If you need us, we will be there.”
The school board also noted that the safety programs and procedures can be updated and changed within the eight years.
“If the new best practices come out as every school in the country is trying to figure out ways to protect their students, and we decide there is a better way to implement this money, we can change,” school board member Jerry Adkins said.
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Voters this fall will be asked if they approve of the Clark-Pleasant tax increase for school safety purposes.
Cost: 10 cents for every $100 of assessed value. Roughly $33 for a $100,000 household.
Funds: Clark-Pleasant will receive $1.5 million each year to go toward school safety.
Time frame: Eight years.
Where the money goes: A new police department for the school district, new security systems and monitors and mental health crisis counselors.
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