The city of Gillett and Gillett School Board have finalized an agreement for a six-month pilot program to have a full-time school resource officer (SRO) working at the schools.
Following a closed-door review of the contract Dec. 19, the school board voted unanimously to approve. Board member Nanette Mohr abstained, because she is also a member of the Gillett City Council.
The council then held a special meeting Dec. 20 to add its blessing in time for the school resource officer to get started effective Jan. 2, when students return from the Christmas and New Year’s break.
“Besides building a strong resource that will support our students and school safety for the community, what is also exciting to me is that for this to happen, members of the city council and our staff talked with each other about the position,” Superintendent Nathan Hanson said after the board vote. “Both sides reached out and had conversation. The idea of a partnership is much more than just a contract, and it feels like we not only have strong support for the SRO position, but also for the idea of the city and the school district working together to do great things for our community.”
The school board included $80,000 in its 2024-25 budget to provide an officer who would work with students in Gillett schools similar to the program in Suring, where Deputy Jess Keplinger serves as the SRO. The figure represents 75% of the cost of salary and benefits, with the city to provide the rest, or approximately $26,000.
The original plan was to contract with the Oconto County Sheriff’s Department, and the board authorized talks in August, but the contract could not be finalized in time to be included in the 2025 county budget. Sheriff Todd Skarban, Hanson and Gillett Mayor Jonathan Blaskowski proposed the city pilot program in October.
Because the Gillett Police Department has just three officers, Skarban offered to have deputies cover the night shift and weekends so that one of the Gillett officers could move to the school.
wbluhm@newmedia-wi.com
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