TERRE HAUTE —
In a unanimous 7-0 vote Tuesday, the Vigo County Council approved $135,000 to pay for special deputies to be assigned to 10 county schools.
The county will pay for the officers from two sources — $105,000 from the County Adjusted Gross Income Tax and $30,000 from the county prosecutor’s infraction deferral fund. The Vigo County School Corp. will match with $135,000 to fill out the total $270,000 needed for the special deputies.
The council’s chamber was filled with more than 70 school employees including several elementary school principals, some parents and the county’s school superintendent, each urging the council to support the funding.
“It is phenomenal when a community comes together to say this is the right thing to do, this is what will protect our children,” Vigo County Sheriff Greg Ewing said during a recess of the council meeting that allowed school employees to leave the council chambers after the council vote.
“We have taken a proactive role” to enhance security of children, the sheriff said. “It is a great moment. This is something we have worked on since the incident at Sandy Hook Elementary.”
The incident occurred Dec. 14, 2012, when 20 children and six adult staff where fatally shot at the Newton, Conn., elementary school.
The county’s action comes after the city of Terre Haute last month funded officers in 12 schools in the city limits that did not already have a police officer assigned. The $353,000 cost of those officers is being split between the city and school corporation.
The county will provide the funding as a grant, which the school corporation will apply for each year. That eliminates a need for any memorandum of understanding or interlocal agreement.
The county and school corporation agreed to 23 guidelines. Among those are that all school security officers will be employed by the Vigo County School Corp. and will be under the direct supervision of a school principal.
Each special deputy will be paid $19 per hour, with the school corporation withholding taxes and Social Security payments and providing a W-2 tax form. The special deputies will be considered part-time employees of the school corporation and may also work school athletic and special events, so long as total hours do not exceed 40 per week.
“At this time, there will be no other employee benefits; however the [school] corporation is currently researching if health insurance must be offered in 2014 for those officers working over 29 hours per week,” according to one of the guidelines. “This will be a school corporation issue and not [of] county government.”
School officers will be under the chain of command of the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department. The sheriff’s department will manage the application, screening and background process of officers assigned to county schools.
However, the school corporation has the right to decline employment, reassign or remove any officers from its school security program. Officers will carry a school corporation radio while on duty. The county is “currently determining if any and what type of sheriff radios will be issued to school security officers that are special deputies,” according to the guidelines.
The security is to be provided from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and officers can split shift with other officers to cover those hours. A marked police car is to be parked in an obvious location at each county school on a daily basis.
Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached at 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Vigo County Council approves special deputy funding
Will be used to staff county schools
- Local & Bistate
-
-
PHOTO UPDATE: I-5 bridge collapses in Northwest Washington; people in water
An Interstate 5 bridge over a river north of Seattle collapsed Thursday evening, dumping vehicles and people into the water, the Washington State Patrol said.
-
UPDATE: I-70 lanes in Putnam County now open
The west-bound lanes of Interstate 70 re-opened Thursday evening after being temporarily closed due to a crash near the Greencastle/Cloverdale exit.
-
22-hospital St. Vincent Health cutting jobs
INDIANAPOLIS — One of Indiana’s largest health systems says it’s cutting an undisclosed number of jobs by June 30 because of increasing economic and competitive pressure on the health care industry.
-
Update: Cleanup from overturned truck in Greene County continues
Fuel spillage from the dump truck hauling gravel that overturned this morning in Greene County at Indiana 54 and County Road 725 East near Ridgeport continues to restrict traffic to one lane.
-
17-pound bone found during Vigo flood cleanup
TERRE HAUTE — Crews cleaning up from Wabash River flooding in Vigo County came across a 17-pound bone that they believe might have come from an ancient mastodon.
-
Duke Energy gives $10K to Wabash Valley Red Cross for Vigo flood relief
Duke Energy is giving $10,000 to the Wabash Valley Red Cross chapter for flood relief from this spring’s heavy rains.
-
I-70 Frye Road overpass contract awarded; construction to begin May 28
The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced the Interstate-70 Frye Road overpass contract was awarded to Halverson Construction Co. Inc. from Springfield, Ill., for $317,166.
-
Banks of the Wabash Festival is more than just yearly entertainment
Pioneers think counterintuitively. Where others see widespread apathy, they focus on the possibility for progress. In a way, the 2013 Year of the River celebration began in the 1970s.
-
Planning session aims to better Terre Haute
It’s not yet clear what will come of it, but dozens of community leaders spent the whole day Wednesday trying to develop a plan – or collection of plans – to make Terre Haute “a better community.”
-
Education funding boost won’t benefit all schools
In the budget bill passed by the General Assembly last month, there is more money allocated for K-12 education over the next two years, but that doesn’t mean every school will get more dollars.
- Day of Action job options open
-
Park Board renames land around Memorial Stadium
Land surrounding Indiana State University’s Memorial Stadium on Terre Haute’s east side has been designated as Veterans Memorial Park, following a unanimous vote Wednesday from the Terre Haute Park Board.
-
Deputy suffers minor injury during incident
A Vigo County Sheriff’s deputy received a minor injury to his hand Tuesday night while subduing a drunken driving suspect who fled behind a North Terre Haute business.
-
Man accused of child neglect gets new trial date
An Oct. 15 trial date has been set for a Terre Haute man arrested in November for child neglect after he and his wife allegedly tied up and confined their adopted children in the family home.
-
Police find meth labs, arrest Pierson Township man
Police uncovered two active methamphetamine labs in southeastern Vigo County on Monday, leading to the arrest of a Pierson Township man.
-
New date set for attempted murder trial
A new trial date has been set for a Terre Haute woman charged with attempted murder.
-
Illinois Senate approves sex education bill
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A proposal that revamps sex education in Illinois public schools to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases has cleared the state Senate.
-
Gregg pondering 2nd run for Indiana governor
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg is pondering another run at the state's top job, but has yet to make a decision.
-
Illinois senator apologizes for Nazi remark
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Sen. Donne Trotter has apologized for remarks that compared a member of Gov. Pat Quinn’s cabinet to a Nazi.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 22, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Tuesday and Wednesday, based on jail records.
-
Rose-Hulman professor researching ways to make homes storm safe
Tornadoes produce greater uplift forces than hurricanes, which can flatten homes such as in Moore Okla., south of Oklahoma City.
-
Group wants to connect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River
Fairbanks Park is underutilized.
The Wabash River is peaceful and inviting, but there is some concern about its cleanliness as well as pollution levels. Also, people can’t get on the river unless they have a boat. -
New conservancy district appoints first directors
Members of the first board of directors of a new lake conservancy district were appointed Tuesday by the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.
-
Vigo law enforcement signs Triad charter to protect seniors
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined Vigo County law enforcement and community activists Tuesday to sign the county’s first Triad charter, becoming the 22nd Triad in Indiana.
-
Wabash Valley Red Cross wraps up Save the Day Campaign
The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter’s 2013 annual meeting concluded the 17th annual Save the Day Campaign, and the results lifted the spirits of all who were involved.
-
Some Vigo roads washed out
Spring storms resulted in $250,000 in damages to roads in southern Vigo County, with costs including sand and labor to save homes near river bottoms, said county highway Assistant Superintendent Dan Bennett.
-
County Council votes $78K toward rail spur
County officials voted Tuesday night to make good on a 2011 promise to help improve a railroad spur just north of Terre Haute for Menard Inc.
-
Spring flooding damages future CSO holding lagoon
Flood waters from the Wabash River have done costly damage to one of the city-owned “lagoons” on former International Paper property.
-
Vigo tops state average for IREAD-3 scores
The Vigo County School Corp. exceeded the state average in the percentage of students passing the state’s mandatory Grade 3 reading test, IREAD-3.
-
Storms cause minor damage in Valley
Tuesday morning storms in the Wabash Valley caused thousands of Duke Energy customers to lose power.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy
Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death
Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50
Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo
Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest
Obama Offers Drone Strike Defense
Wash. State Man Arrested Following Ricin Scare
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Oklahoma Family Reflects on Lost Son
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
Boy Scouts Decision "First Step" Say Activists
Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs
Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty
Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Trout's cycle a boost for Angels
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece
NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery
Shakira's Shocking Talent
Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape
Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public
Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls
Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
