Loyalsock Township School District entered into an agreement Wednesday night with the state police to provide a school resource officer for the upcoming school year.
Board members voted unanimously to approve expenses to have one trooper in district schools for six to 10 hours a week at a cost of about $70 an hour. The agreement will place a school resource officer in buildings from Aug. 28 to June 7, 2013.
The move is a first for the district, which never has stationed a police officer in its schools.
"I've committed to (have) a SRO," said Robert W. Grantier, district superintendent.
According to the agreement, the trooper assigned to the district also will be available at afterschool events at mutually agreed upon times. The district will be responsible for overtime hours and extra expenses related to duties performed.
The officer also must respond to emergencies outside of the district if needed by the state police.
In addition, the SRO will perform other services such as driver education, school bus safety, development of school safety plans and school walk-throughs.
Grantier said the officer will spend most of his or her time at the middle and high schools. The agreement will be evaluated at the end of the 2012-13 school year.
In other business, the board voted to spend $12,812 for engineering services and relocation costs to PPL Electric Utilities Corp. in preparation for the relocation of the district service center at 1720 Sycamore Road to the former Army Reserve center on Four Mile Drive. Grantier said the move might take place in September.
The board also approved salary increases for support personnel, an executive secretary and administrative assistant. The increases range from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent, said Gerald McLaughlin, district business manager.
Board President Edward H. Ade Jr. said the contract with those employees runs to June 30, 2014.
Expenditures of $3,500 for new fencing at the high school football field and $6,500 for new soccer goals also were approved.
Ronald Insinger was re-appointed as the district's athletic director at a salary of $39,527.
