Panel looking at costs of police liaison officers

Is the city of Brainerd being more generous with the Brainerd School District than Baxter?

It's a question that Brainerd School Board Finance Committee members mulled at Tuesday's meeting while discussing the district's contracts with the cities of Brainerd and Baxter for its police liaison officers.

Lund said the district pays $32.56 per hour for a Brainerd police officer who works eight hours a school day, 175 days a year, or about 1,400 hours a year at Brainerd High School. This amount includes the officer's salary, benefits and use of a city squad car.

The district also has a part-time police liaison officer at Forestview Middle School, a Baxter police officer who works four hours a day also for 175 school days in a school year. The city of Baxter is proposing a 5 percent contract rate increase, which will equate to about $50.91 per hour, significantly more than what Brainerd pays.

Lund said this was purely a financial analysis at this point and he needs to do more research and meet with both police departments to find out what the district is getting from each of these contracts to better compare the two contracts.

"Is it fair to say the city of Brainerd is being more generous with us?," asked board member Bob Nystrom.

Lund said the city of Brainerd has been very good to work with based on historical data he's found.

"I will find out what we're getting and make sure it's an apples-to-apples comparison," said Lund.

Nystrom told the committee he's concerned about the city of Baxter's interest in moving the Highway 210 stoplight at Knollwood Drive to Inglewood Drive. He said it creates a safety concern for Baxter Elementary School students, particularly those who cross the highway at Knollwood. Committee members discussed bringing this item up at a future facilities committee meeting and opening dialogue about the issue with the city of Baxter.

The committee recommended board approval of the investment policy statement amendment.

JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.