(Spirit Lake)– On a three-to-two vote, the Spirit Lake city council Tuesday approved an agreement with the school district for a school liaison officer to be provided through the Police Department.
Prior to the vote, Mayor Blain Andera told the council a committee had met recently with school officials and re-negotiated a proposal addressing concerns the council had with the original one.
The new agreement is for two years. And while the school district’s funding remains capped at 20-thousand dollars for the first year, it agreed to increase it by 10 percent the second year.
But councilman Steve Balm remains concerned over the financial impact on the city if it’s share of the cost goes beyond 60 percent, which he says it probably will depending on the salary of the officer that’s hired.
Councilmen Jeff Thee, Jerry Harbst and Clyde Ihrke voted in favor of the proposal, while Balm and Kevin Bice voted no.
