Cheney council OKs school resource officer contract

Power and police occupied some agenda time at the Cheney City Council’s Sept. 22 meeting.

Council approved renewal of a contract with the Cheney School District to provide a uniformed officer as school resource officer covering all eight of the district’s school buildings and other support facilities. Terms of the contract call for the school district to compensate the city $119,468 to cover all labor, equipment travel and training expenses as well as $11,982 in annual vehicle lease payments. The district is also to pay for the SRO’s vehicle fuel and maintenance.

Cheney’s police department in turn provides an officer, in this case an officer of supervisory rank, Sgt. Kelly Hembach, all law enforcement services as necessary and maintain insurance on the officer’s vehicle. The department also provides all adequate record-keeping and reporting as required by federal, state and local laws.

Cheney Police Chief John Hensley said the only changes to the contract were increases in the officer’s salary and benefits as negotiated between an agreement with the city and the local Police Guild. Hensley told the council he was at a recent Cheney school board meeting where the contract was approved by the district, and noted the program — which began in 2005 — received high praise.

“They’re very pleased with the services that they are paying for,” Hensley said.

Council also approved a $1,243.83 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bulletproof Vest Partnership for the purchase of bulletproof vests for Cheney’s officers. Hensley told the council the amount of the grant was less than what the department is eligible to receive because they still have BVP money from last year that is waiting to be spent.

When it comes to Cheney’s power system, the council approved two resolutions authorizing the Light Department purchase of 19 power transformers and concrete vaults and lids to house power equipment. The department will purchase 19 of 27 transformers bid on by General Pacific/Ermco at a total price of $49,978.01 along with $10,425 in vaults and lids from Wilbert Precast.

Council also approved an agreement with the Cheney School District to allow the city’s Parks and Recreation Department to continue holding its popular ECHO before and after school program at Snowdon and Windsor elementary schools. The program runs daily from 6:15 – 8:15 a.m. — 9:15 a.m. on late start school days — and from 3 – 6 p.m.

Finally, council approved a resolution allocating $10,500 from the Light Department’s conservation budget to the CLEAResult Energy Smart Grocer Program conservation measures. The money in the conservation budget comes from Bonneville Power Administration, which is phasing out the CLEAResult program but has agreed to extend it to March 2016.

Under the agreement, CLEAResult measures will be funded by BPA, and then deducted from the city’s conservation budget. The amount will provide for completion of two measures currently underway with local businesses and organizations that qualify for funding.

CLEAResult program funds are automatically available for use in core refrigeration energy efficient measures, including lighting in refrigerated spaces, along with other uses such as interior/exterior lighting, new construction, existing building commissioning and heating/air conditioning/ventilation projects in facilities equipped with refrigeration. Businesses and organizations that can use program funds are grocery and convenience stores, restaurants, schools and other commercial refrigeration equipped facilities.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.