By Dave Fidlin
CORRESPONDENT
An existing agreement between the City of Whitewater and Whitewater Unified School District concerning school resource officers could be terminated, though officials on the municipal side are seeking a 120-day extension.
WUSD Superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty sent Police Chief Dan Meyer a memorandum on April 9, indicating the district’s plans of terminating the agreement. Pate-Hefty’s agreement outlined a series of unresolved issues with the current document.
“According to the agreement, we are officially notifying you in writing before May 1st, as per the MOU (memorandum of understanding) that we are ending the existing agreement,” Pate-Hefty write in the correspondence. “This is to protect Whitewater Unified School District, in the case we are required to bid out other police departments of services.”
Pate-Hefty in the letter outlined three specific reasons why the district is seeking termination of the MOU at this time. The concerns include SRO absences this school year, and the department’s inability to provide for a substitute on days when there has been no coverage.
Other concerns Pate-Hefty outlined include allegations of failing to adhere to parental rights, student rights and board policy in several distinct, isolated instances. Additionally, Pate-Hefty asserts the district is not in agreement with a newer Police Department policy to call dispatch as certain issues arise in schools.
“We have made multiple attempts through meetings in the past two years to change the language at the recommendation of our board attorney,” Pate-Hefty wrote. “There has been no resolution following those meetings.”
At the Common Council’s April 15 meeting, Meyer discussed the agency’s relationship with WUSD and also weighed in on the SRO program.
“The Police Department sees tremendous value in our SRO program,” Meyer said. “We feel strongly that retaining that relationship with the school district is essential and is in the best interest of students.”
From the city’s standpoint, the 120-day extension being requested is designed to cover a period of administrative transition within WUSD. Pate-Hefty recently submitted her resignation and is taking a superintendent position in Pennsylvania; a search for her successor is underway.
“I feel that it’s important for both the police department and the school district to wait and consider any changes to the SRO agreement until a new superintendent is in place to ensure that that individual’s input is heard,” Meyer said. “Doing that will help ensure that we have clarity on both expectations from the school district and the police department from the outset.”
Before the fate of the agreement is ultimately determined, Meyer in outlining his view said he believed a collective number of analyses should be considered.
“Ultimately, I believe that a measured approach should be taken that includes a review and input from the Walworth County District Attorney, our city attorney, as well as the school district counsel.” he said.
City Manager John Weidl said there are a number of considerations to take into account as the agreement’s future weighs in the balance.
“I fall where I always fall,” Weidl said. “We need to ensure things are in compliance with the contractual obligations. We want to make sure that we are operating in alignment with the state statute that governs intergovernmental agreements.”
Council President Patrick Singer said he believed it would be prudent to hold joint meetings with the council’s counterparts on the WUSD School Board concerning the SRO agreement “once things settle” from the imminent superintendent transition.
