Halferty to seek approval for COPS grant from board [Newton Daily News, Iowa]

May 20--Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty will be seeking a final answer from the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday in regards to his request for a Community Oriented Policing Services grant. The grants would provide several Jasper County school districts with a school resource officer.

During the last meeting, Halferty and the board agreed to table further discussion a week so that Halferty could provide more information, including potential future financial costs to the county.

"I see a lot of possibilities with this (position), I also understand that cost would be a concern," Halferty said in a previous interview. "I was a SRO 15 years ago, and it was one of the most rewarding parts of my career."

Halferty noted that the grant would pay 75 percent of the cost for a SRO for the first three years with the county covering the other 25 percent if approved. A stipulation of the grant is that the county would have to keep the SRO under contract for an additional 12 months and pay 100 percent of that cost.

Halferty has said the he believes a SRO will help deter crime in schools and that SRO officers are specially trained to aid in the learning process.

Colonial Life Insurance Agency Development Manager Rita Foubert will pitch to the board about using her company's life insurance benefits package. Colonial Life states that:

"With Colonial Life's voluntary life insurance portfolio, you can help your employees get the financial protection they need for their stage in life without hurting your organization's bottom line."

In other business:

--Human Resources Director Dennis Simon will present the hiring resolution for a new clerk for the Jasper County Recorder's Office. If approved, Patti VanZee will start off with a pay rate of $16.03 per hour and start work on May 27 under a three year contract.

--Elderly Nutrition Director Kelli Van Manen will ask the board to sign an updated contract with Aging Resources of Central Iowa to reflect the additional $9,508 in funds the county will receive.

--Kellduff 5 & 10 will ask the board for a tobacco/cigarette license.

Staff writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 426, or at [email protected].

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