Submitted By: Angy Scroble/Lyn Cole
presenter
Presentation By: Mike Balken
end
Department: Police
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
title
Approval of agreement with Marion County School Board for the School Resource Officer Program with receivables over three years of $5,946,781
end
OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Quality of Place.
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
body
BACKGROUND:
The School Resource Officer Program assigns a School Resource Officer (SRO) to work closely with the school principal and staff to develop plans and strategies to prevent and/or minimize dangerous situations that may result in student unrest. SROs make referrals to community agencies for students and staff as needed and provide educational counseling and law enforcement services as warranted.
Pursuant to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (SB 7026), the Marion County School Board and the City of Ocala have drafted an agreement to assign Police Officers to 16 schools to foster the safety and security of students and staff. This Agreement was previously entered into on June 28, 2022, for a three-year term.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
Through this Agreement, the Ocala Police Department will assign one (1) regularly employed Police Officer to nine (9) Marion County elementary schools, four (4) Marion County middle schools, and Marion Technical College (MTC). Two (2) regularly employed Police Officers will be assigned to one (1) Marion County high school, as well as to the Marion Technical Institute (MTI); and three (3) regularly employed Police Officers to West Port High School.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Marion County School Board will increase its payment to the City of Ocala from $140,611 per month to $165,188 per month beginning July 1, 2025, and continuing for the three-year term of the Agreement, which terminates on June 30, 2028. The revenue will be appropriated to revenue account number 001-342-000-000-02-34215 as part of the annual budget process.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
This contract has been reviewed and approved for compliance with the City’s procurement policy.
LEGAL REVIEW:
This Agreement has been reviewed and approved for form and legality by City Attorney, William E. Sexton.
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with Changes
• Table
• Deny