LEES CREEK — East Clinton Local Schools leaders will consider adding a full-time school resource officer, who would be a deputy with the county sheriff’s office.
The matter was raised Tuesday night by East Clinton Superintendent Eric Magee, a graduate of Fairfield High School in Leesburg, at the monthly board of education meeting. The officer, Magee said, would spend 40 hours a week in the district’s four school buildings and three campuses.
Based upon a contract between the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and Clinton-Massie Local Schools for a school resource officer, East Clinton could expect to pay about $47,600 for the position, Magee said.
Board of Education President Linda Compton said she would like to see a job description of what the officer would do on a day-to-day basis, apart from incidents that call for a trained officer.
Board member Mark Garen asked whether the officer would wear a gun. Magee said yes. The superintendent added he does not support arming teachers.
Board member Tim Starkey recommended Magee talk with area school districts that already have a resource officer – Clinton-Massie and Wilmington City Schools – for input and insight. The board member also said he “definitely” thinks an officer in the schools is something to consider.
As a next step, Magee said he will “pursue specifics” with the sheriff.
During his superintendent’s report, Magee said a recent EPA inspection of East Clinton facilities found that the football field does not have a septic system.
East Clinton is a member of the South Central Ohio League with Hillsboro, Greenfield McClain and five other school districts.
“It’s basically a line that runs to the storm drains and then out into the ditch across the field. So, there is no septic system down there,” Magee reported.
The EPA’s recommendation at this juncture is for the school to install a pump station that would pump wastewater from the football stadium up to the existing system and go through the filtering process.
The estimated price tag is $55,000. The superintendent said the septic system should be in place prior to the 2016 football season.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.
