Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/146256
CRITICAL COMMENTS Superintendent Lori White and School Board member Frank Kovach listen to comments during the July 23 meeting. Photo by Rachel Hackney THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES NEW CONTRACTS THIS WEEK FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, BUT MEMBERS LAMENT THE LACK OF FUNDING SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF SARASOTA By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor In the end, the votes were unanimous, but not Knight's decision to put his officers only in without Sarasota County School Board mem- county schools as of next year, they also critbers venting. icized the City of Sarasota for not offering to cover part of the cost of SROs in its jurisdicDuring its regular meeting on July 23, the tion. board approved four contracts totaling $1,317,608.29 to provide school resource of- According to the new contracts, the School ficers (SROs) in its middle schools and high Board will cover the total cost of the SROs in schools for the 2013-14 school year. The to- the city of Sarasota, which is $312,248. The tal number of officers Sarasota Police Dewill drop from 21 to partment has agreed 18, with the sheriff reI share Mr. Kovach's frustration to provide one SRO at moving six SROs from and difficulty in expressing that each of the following Sarasota city schools. politically correctly. schools: Booker and Sarasota high schools H o w e v e r, b o a r d Shirley Brown Member and Brookside Middle members lamented Sarasota County School Board not only Sheriff Tom School. The contract