The Madison Board of Education voted Wednesday night to contract with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office to supply an officer the rest of the school year, beginning Monday.

The contract between the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Madison Local School District will allow for a uniformed officer to serve the entire campus. The service is reserved exclusively for days that students are in session. The approved contract estimates the expense at $10,800 for the remainder of the school year.

In 2011, the SRO position was eliminated in Madison due to budget constraints in the school district and the sheriff’s department.

Superintendent Curtis Philpot called having the SRO on campus “a necessity,” and he was confident the district could “shoulder the financial burden” the rest of the remainder of the school year and allow the district time to seek options for additional dollars through government funds or grants.

Administrators and board members have had discussions on enhanced security measures in the wake of school related tragedies across the country, he said.

Hiring a sheriff deputy was the “best way to immediately increase security” and allow time to see what policies or mandates may emerge as a result of these talks, according to Philpot.

Middletown cash flow low

Middletown City School District Treasurer Kelley Thorpe has reported that the district has $2.2 million in its cash flow, about half what is needed to cover payroll every month. She said the district is waiting for money collected from residents’ property taxes, which occurs every July and January. She said typically the tax money in January arrives slowly, putting the district in financial straits.

She said the district could always ask some of its larger vendors for an extension on the bills.

Bus riders always on camera

Mike Hammond, from Petermann, which provides Middletown’s busing services, said every bus has digital cameras and GPS technology. He said the cameras film what is occurring throughout the bus and have shown numerous “very embarrassing” moments. The GPS, he said, monitors each bus location and its speed.