The city could lose a $125,000 federal grant for a police officer at two District 62 junior high schools if it can’t come up with $10,000, officials said.
City Manager Scott Miller told aldermen Monday night that a school official informed him recently that District 62’s budget is so tight that it can not pay $10,000 to hire a new school resource officer.
Police Chief Jim Ryan said he received a grant last year that would cover most of the costs for the office. School district and city officials had each agreed to pay $10,000 annually to fund the remainder of a three-year program, officials said.
Miller said he would make a final effort this week to work out an agreement with school officials.
“It would be shocking to think that the school district would vote `no’ on this,” Ald. Rosemary Argus said.
Aldermen also backed an ordinance that would hold parents of children ages 11 to 19 responsible for some repeat criminal actions committed by the children. Parents of minors convicted of repeat offenses during a two-year period could be fined between $25 and $750 and ordered to pay up to $2,500 in damages, city officials said. Crimes covered by the proposal include battery; curfew violation; possession of graffiti instruments, alcohol or marijuana; and vandalism.