Officer back in schools

GENEVA — A safety resource officer will be watching over South Adams students for another year.
Geneva Town Council approved an agreement between the town and South Adams Schools to have the school system pay the officer’s salary for the coming school year (August 12 to late May 2014), depending on snow days and delays.
South Adams Schools will pay a salary of $30,000 to keep Deputy Marshal Scott Dailey as its SRO.
The school system and the Geneva Police Department have been in a scramble the past three months to try and find funding for the SRO after a private donor pulled the donation to help pay for the officer’s salary in early April. With the Safe Schools/Healthy Students federal grant expiring at the end of May, it came down to the Town of Geneva to pay for Dailey’s services over the summer until they could find a solution for the next school year.
Marshal Rob Johnson was on hand to tell the council about the proposed agreement but wanted to reiterate that this is only a short-term solution. Johnson said he’d like to start discussing a lasting solution as soon as possible. This may include grants through Homeland Security and other organizations.
“I would like to get into … negotiations for a permanent solution,” said Johnson.
Councilman Doug Milligan agreed that the next step is to look into the future of sustaining the program.
 “I’m glad you’re working on a long-term solution,” said Milligan.
The town council also heard an introduction of two salary ordinances that would take effect in 2014.
Ordinance 2013-3 would increase salaries for employees of Water and Sewage Utilities and Street Department of Town of Geneva.
This includes proposed wages for Superintendent of Streets and Maintenance at an hourly wage of $19.89; Certified Water and Wastewater Operator with an hourly wage of $22.53; and full-time laborers of each department at an hourly wage of $17.18.
A second ordinance, 2013-4, would increase salaries for town employees including Town Council, Town Marshal, and Clerk-Treasurer.
Geneva Town Council members’ proposed wages are set at $200.80 per month, with the president making no more than $224.73. Pay for the Geneva Town Marshal will be fixed at $44,686.20, with a clothing allowance of $936. The clerk-treasurer will make an annual salary of $8,337.16, with an increase in the case of a four-year Bachelor of Science degree to $10,825.36.
No action was taken on the salary ordinances.
Continued from page 1
In other business, the council:
•Approved a three-year trash contract, without recycling, with Republic Services at a cost of $211,641.
•Heard from Pam Krause, part-time director of Geneva Chamber of Commerce, about rescheduling the June 29 Fourth of July fireworks show. Since the original fireworks show was canceled due to bad weather and flooding, the show has been scheduled for Saturday at dusk at the ballpark.
Krause also asked the council for sections of streets to be fenced off for Summers End Street Festival on August 17. The council approved parts of Washington Street, Line Street and Decatur Street to be fenced off similar to last year’s event.
•Approved a resolution for a letter of support for the Geneva Volunteer Fire Department’s training of high school students in conjunction with South Adams Schools that will start in 2014.
•Approved a temporary position of a high school intern as an administrative assistant with the Geneva Police Department. The individual will make minimum wage and only be allowed to work eight weeks at no more than 20 hours a week. The funds will come out of the department’s clothing allowance.[[In-content Ad]]