By James Lomuscio

Westport’s Board of Education voted unanimously tonight to return $275,541 in unexpended funds to the town in the hopes that the money will pay for two additional school resource officers (SROs) this fall.

The Board of Education in session tonight at Town Hall. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com

Only Staples High School will have an SRO funded from the DARE program, which is being phased out. The Board of Finance on July 11 denied a request for $320,000 to add two SROs to the middle schools.

Tonight’s vote at the request of Schools Superintendent Colleen Palmer aims to change that. She said the move was designed “to find a way to jump start the initiation of SROs.”

Still, there is no guarantee the school’s giveback would go for the trained police officers, who are hired by the town, not the school system.

By James Lomuscio

By a vote of 4 to 2, Westport’s Board of Finance tonight rejected a Board of Eduction request for $320,000 to add two school resource officers (SROs) to the middle schools to join one already funded at Staples High School.

Schools Superintendent Colleen Palmer — who made a last-minute impassioned plea — and Police Chief Foti Koskinas had strongly recommended the appropriation. It still could be approved next month with a Representative Town Meeting (RTM) super majority (70 percent) vote overturning the finance board action.

Soon after the vote, Palmer sent out a tweet reminding parents that funding for the Staples SRO will come from the cost of a DARE officer, a position which is being phased out.

“The WPD will be able to reallocate the funds from the DARE officer to hire one SRO for SHS this fall,” she said.

By James Lomuscio

In a special meeting tonight, Westport’s Board of Education voted unanimously to fund a school resource officer (SRO) for this fall at Staples High School, via DARE officer funds.

The Board of Education meeting at Town Hall tonight. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com

The school board also voted unanimously to ask the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) fund the cost of two additional SROs at the town’s two middle schools.

According to Schools Superintendent Colleen Palmer, the per officer cost would be $160,057.

And by a vote of 4 to 2, with Mark Mathias and Karen Klein dissenting, the board agreed that the school system would allocate any unexpended funds from fiscal year 2018-19 and subsequent years to pay for up to 60 percent of the SRO cost.

Scenes from today’s 2018 Staples High School graduation. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The 466 members of the Staples High School Class of 2018 toss their mortar boards into the air at the end of today’s commencement. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Board of Education member Elaine Whitney today gives a big hug to son Matthew at the Staples High School Class of 2018 graduation. The 131st Staples graduation today saw 466 students get their diplomas. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Classs of 2018 Staples graduates proclaim their university choices as they enter today’s commerncement exercises. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com