Columbia’s city council has given the green light to a school resource officer (SRO) agreement with Columbia Public Schools (CPS).
The city council voted to approve the agreement on Tuesday night. Columbia’s school board unanimously approved the SRO agreement in August. Under the 11-page agreement, two CPD officers are being assigned to Battle high school, with one each assigned to Hickman and Rock Bridge. Under the agreement, CPS will compensate the city of Columbia 75 percent of the salary and benefits for the four officers, under the agreement.
The cost is $318,000.
The council is expected to vote on city manager De’Carlon Seewood’s proposed $533-million dollar budget later this month. The council held its third and final public hearing on Mr. Seewood’s budget last night at city hall. Mr. Seewood is calling for a $10-million pay raise for the city’s 1,500 employees. The proposed budget also increases the Columbia Water Utility’s budget by $1.1 million. Mr. Seewood’s budget is a $27-million increase from the current $506-million amount.
The city council also first-read a bill last night that would suspend GoCOMO bus transportation fares for the fourth straight year.
