District, village renew school cop negotiations

The Village of Grafton and the Grafton School District are renewing negotiations  for funding a second school resource officer.

Supt. Jeff Nelson was expected to meet with Village Administrator Jesse Thyes Tuesday to discuss the cost sharing formula between the district and village for resource officers in preparation for potentially adding a second officer next year.

A similar negotiation last year fell through after the village proposed raising the school reimbursement rate from 35% to 75% of the officers’ wages and benefits.

Village President Dan Delorit said at the time that the higher reimbursement rate better reflected the amount of time spent in district schools by resource officers.

He said resource officer Tony Alfonsi spent about 95% of his time at the district the previous year, adding the village covers the cost of his equipment, uniform and squad car.

Delorit has said the 35% rate is “not equitable for the taxpayers of Grafton.”

On Tuesday, Delorit told Ozaukee Press that the reimbursement rate is up to the village and school boards to decide and that he cannot comment on the negotiations.

“Negotiations are ongoing and we will see what discussions between the village administrator and the superintendent yield,” he said.

School officials have argued the current cost sharing agreement is similar or better for the municipality than those of neighboring school districts.

Nelson said the district wants a “fair deal” with the village, which he believes is reflected in the 35% rate.

A school resource officer is a village employee, he said, with responsibility over the entire community, not just district’s schools.

He said the village could offset its cost by sharing resource officers with Grafton’s private schools, including St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Paul Lutheran School and Our Savior Lutheran School, for a fee.

After the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Police Chief Jeff Caponera unsuccessfully applied for a federal grant to fund a second officer.

Student resource officers act in a primarily preventive role, Caponera has said, teaching students to view the police as a resource and not a threat.

He said last year that there was still a need for a second officer.

“Having one is great, having two is greater,” Caponera said.

The wages and benefits for Alfonsi, who has been the school resource officer since the program started in 2021, is $127,000 a year.

Thyes could not be reached for comment.