Placement: Consent Agenda
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Approve the Renewal Agreements to the Memoranda of Agreement for School Resource Officer Provision at Somerset Academy St. Lucie and Somerset College Preparatory Academy
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Submitted By: David Graham, Assistant City Manager
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal of safe, clean, and beautiful.
Executive Summary (General Business): For the 2023-24 School Year, Somerset Academy, Inc., on behalf of the Somerset Academy St. Lucie and the Somerset College Preparatory Academy, seeks continuance of the provision of School Resource Officer (SRO) services from the City of Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) through a renewal of the Memorandum of Agreement for each school. The agreements provide for the schools to disperse funds received from the State of Florida to partially fund the cost for SRO deployment.
Presentation Information: Staff will be available to respond to City Council questions.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve the Renewal of the Memoranda of Agreements; one for Somerset Academy St. Lucie and one for Somerset College Preparatory Academy.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the Renewal of the Memoranda of Agreements; one for Somerset Academy St. Lucie and one for Somerset College Preparatory Academy.
2. Move that the Council provide staff direction.
Background: In fulfillment of a City Council directive the PSLPD has, for several years, provided SRO services to public high schools sited within the City including Port St. Lucie, Treasure Coast, and Centennial. Through a contractual agreement with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, these PSLPD SROs are partially funded from the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act and the 2019 St. Lucie Public Schools-sponsored referendum for teacher salaries, school safety and educational programs. As the funds provided through the Sheriff do not cover the total cost for the SRO services, the City funds the balance to enable the PSLPD SRO presence in these schools. Similarly, but through a separate contractual arrangement with the City, PSLPD SRO services are provided to Somerset Academy St. Lucie and Somerset College Preparatory Academy. The difference between the two programs is that the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office does not provide SRO services to charter schools. The Somerset schools provide the entirety of the funds received from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act to assist in offsetting the City’s investment in providing SRO services to these schools.
Issues/Analysis: N/A
Financial Information: The following provides the cost analysis for the current school year for these two Somerset Academy, Inc. PSL-located schools.
School Salary/Benefits Somerset Share* City Share
Somerset Academy St. Lucie $157,843 $77,175 $80,668
Somerset College Prep. Academy $128,107 $79,641 $48,466
TOTAL: $285,950 $156,816 $129,134
*Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act and 2019 St. Lucie Public Schools-sponsored referendum for teacher salaries, school safety and educational programs.
Special Consideration: N/A
Location of Project: N/A
Attachments: Renewal Agreements for School Resource Officers at the Somerset Academy St. Lucie and Somerset College Preparatory Academy.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: Legal Intake #23279-01
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Amber Izzo, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by Richard Berrios, Interim City Attorney.