Before Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor reacted publicly to an Aug.14 letter to Waukegan school stakeholders from Superintendent Theresa Plascencia explaining the absence of police officers at two high school campuses, a counteroffer was in the works.
For many years, a school resource officer (SRO) from the Waukegan Police Department was assigned to the Washington and Brookside campuses of Waukegan High School where they developed relationships with students and were a safety presence ready to act.
Just over a year ago, the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education rejected a five-year extension paying the city $128,800 the first year in favor of a one-year deal for the same amount. It expired over the summer.
With no contract in place on the first day of school Aug. 12, the SROs were not on duty at the Washington and Brookside campuses of the high school. Plascencia’s letter was sent two days later explaining negotiations were ongoing offering to pay 24% more.
Taylor both criticized Plascencia’s letter during the Waukegan City Council meeting Monday at City Hall and sent the superintendent a counter proposal Tuesday which could return a SRO to the Washington campus Sept. 4 and Brookside Sept. 16.
During her comments early in the meeting, Taylor criticized Plascencia’s letter agreeing with the superintendent’s assessment the SROs “contribute to a safer and more connected school environment” but took issue with the timing of the talks.
“This is precisely why I am deeply frustrated that Superintendent Plascencia waited until July 24, two weeks before school started, to open negotiations on the SRO contract,” Taylor said.
As Taylor and her staff were preparing the new contract with a reduced price, Plascencia was writing an email to Taylor inviting her to “meet at your office or mine, at your convenience this week on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday afternoon” to make a deal.
“It is my hope that we can amicably reach an agreement,” Plascencia said. “This would benefit the city, the district, and, most importantly, the children of Waukegan.”
Concerned SROs would not be in place with school opening in a little over two weeks, Plascencia reached out to Taylor July 24 to quicken talks but said in an email Tuesday high level representatives of the district and city began discussing a deal in March.
“Those parties (were) in frequent communication via phone, email, and even an in-person meeting hosted at City Hall in early April 2024, where you were present,” Plascencia said in the email. “Our team did not receive a formal written proposal from the city at the time, or in the months afterward.”
Though Plascencia said in her letter the district would pay $150,000 for services of the two officers, Taylor was asking for $350,000 to cover their salary and benefit package for the eight months they are at the school, Taylor said the deal is more complex than money.
“Contracts that involve police officers working in public schools are very complicated because of the nature of their work, liability issues, training requirements, union representation and the need to follow all applicable Illinois law including the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act,” Taylor said.
With a revised contract now in the school district’s hands with a reduced price of $295,000, Taylor said she hopes negotiations can be concluded before the Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Lincoln Center administration building.
Should the Board of Education approve the pact, Taylor said it will be on the agenda when the City Council meets at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at City Hall. If the deal is approved, Taylor said officer Brian Falotico would be on duty at the Washington campus the next day.
With a new SRO scheduled to begin at the Brookside campus, Taylor said the officer needs additional training as required by law and will be available Sept. 16.
During the meeting, two members of the public with ties to the schools and city — former Ald. Gregory Moisio, 3rd Ward, who is a retired District 60 teacher, and former Ald. Ray Vukovich, 4th Ward, who once served on the Board of Education — encouraged an agreement.
“The school resource officers, they provide a benefit to the schools and the community,” Vukovich said. “If we don’t have the resource officers in the schools, we’re three steps behind. You got to do it for the kids. It’s a good investment.”
Moisio, who sat on the council for 20 years until last year, said the relationships the SROs develop with the students helps the officers get information he can relate to others at the department which help solve crimes because of what the youngsters know.
“All the capital improvements over there (at the schools), all the new furniture here, that ain’t going to save any lives,” Moisio said. “That’s not going to influence any lives. Stop asking for $350,000. That’s too much.”
