At the August 12 meeting of the Cave City Council, the focus was squarely on the financial implications surrounding the School Resource Officer (SRO) stationed at Caverna Schools.
The issue at hand was an impending increase in the cost associated with the SRO, a figure that could rise up to approximately $60,000. This development has raised concerns for both the city and the school district, leading to a detailed discussion on how to address the financial burden.
Cave City Mayor Dwayne Hatcher opened the conversation with an explanation on the history of the SRO contract.
Superintendent Amanda Abell attended the meeting to represent the school district’s interests along with three school board members.
She began by expressing her surprise at the mayor’s proposal to the district.
While the district had questions and concerns in regard to the change, she maintained that safety was the school’s number one priority, explaining that Caverna has invested a significant amount of resources to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its students and staff.
She challenged the council’s calculations, arguing that their estimate of the SRO’s cost was around $20,000 higher than her own analysis. Abell pointed out that the SRO’s presence is limited to the 180 days (she did point out that there were 172 days of instruction in the semester, but the contract was drawn up for 180 days) along with coverage of certain extracurricular events.
She also highlighted that the Caverna School District, in comparison to other districts in the region, appears to be shouldering a disproportionately large portion of the SRO’s costs.
Hatcher provided further context, explaining that despite the SRO being assigned to the school for only part of the year, they remain a full-time employee of the city throughout the entire year. This detail, he suggested, could account for the discrepancy in cost assessments.
The discussion also touched on potential financial relief through state funds. According to Mayor Hatcher, Rep. Steve Riley has indicated that up to $20,000 could be available to assist campuses in covering the costs of their SROs. However, this potential funding source has not yet been fully secured or integrated into the budget discussions.
Despite the financial concerns, the council ultimately decided to maintain the current contract with the understanding that the agreement would be revisited and renegotiated in the coming year.
Though the school and the city held different opinions on the SRO contract, both stood on the common ground of the protection of the children, and the major role the SRO plays in preserving that security.
The issue of funding for school resource officers is becoming increasingly pressing as districts across the state grapple with tight budgets and rising costs. As Cave City and Caverna Schools continue to navigate this financial challenge, their experience may serve as a case study for other communities facing similar dilemmas.