Hourly billing for liaison officer services also an option for school

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The Hudson City Council has given the school district the option of being billed on an hourly basis for the services of Police-School Liaison Officer Mark Crimmins, Alderperson Lori Bernard pointed out in communications with the Star-Observer last week.

A report in last week’s newspaper on the city’s demand that the school pay a greater percentage of the liaison officer’s salary and benefits failed to note the second option of the school being billed for his actual hours, Bernard noted.

“We are not requiring or demanding that the school district pay 75 percent of the officer’s annual pay and benefits and use him for the full school year,” she said in an e-mail to the Star-Observer’s Internet publisher. “They may, in fact, choose to use him for far less than full time (75 percent) if they choose. They can decide what their budget will allow.”

The hourly billing option was part of a motion approved by the City Council at its Jan. 5 meeting.

It also directed City Attorney Catherine Munkittrick to draft a contract proposal that would have the school district pay 75 percent of the liaison officer’s salary, benefits and equipment expenses.

Until now, the city and school district have split the costs 50/50 for 10 months of the year. The city has covered 100 percent of the expenses for the position during two summer months when Crimmins is assigned to regular police work.

The Hudson Board of Education has not yet taken up the city’s contract proposal.

Tags: education, hudson, school, police, liaison, officer, city, council