School Safety Program Oversight Committee

ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE

SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

Minutes of the Meeting

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

2:00 p.m., Senate Hearing Room 1

Members Present:

Senator Thayer Verschoor, Cochair	Representative Doris Goodale, Cochair
Rani Collins	Representative Cloves Campbell
Dr. Fred DePrez	Cassandra Larsen
Brenda Flynn	Andy Swann

Members Absent:

Senator Linda Lopez

William Udall

Staff:

Stacey Morley, Senate Education Accountability and Reform Analyst

Chairman Verschoor called the meeting to order at 2:11 p.m. and attendance was noted.

Approval of Minutes

Senator Verschoor stated that without objection, the minutes of July 28, 2009 were approved.

CONSIDERATION OF FY 2011 BUDGET REDUCTIONS

Jean Ajamie, Director, School Safety and Prevention, Arizona Department of Education (ADE), distributed a hand-out on "FY 2011 School Safety Program Legislative Oversight Committee Funding Summary" (Attachment A) and a hand-out on "FY 2011 School Safety Program Legislative Oversight Committee Reduction Options for Consideration" (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Jim Driscoll, Chief of Police, City of Sedona, testified in support of options #3 and #4 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Jeff Pokrant, Maricopa Police Department, School Resource Officer for Maricopa High School, testified in support of not making any budget cuts to this program and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Yvette Harpe, Assistant Principal, Rim Country Middle School, testified in support of option #6 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Casey O'Brien, Superintendent, Payson Unified School District, testified in support of option #6 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Don Engler, Chief of Police, Payson, Arizona, testified in support of option #6 (Attachment B) and that his second choice would be option #5 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Michael Bane, Juvenile Probation Officer, Maricopa County, testified in support of option #6 (Attachment B) or a modification of option #6 and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Ms. Ajamie further explained option #6 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Stacey Morley, Senate Analyst, Education Accountability and Reform Committee, explained the lower enrollment process.

Dr. Jacob Chavez, Assistant Superintendent Cartwright School District, distributed a hand-out (Attachment C), testified in support of option #10 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Alison Zelms, Assistant City Manager, City of Sedona, testified in support of options #3 and #4 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

James Schweisthul, Mesa Police Department, Resource Officer, testified in support of option #5 (Attachment B) and option #6 and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Jim Lee, Paradise Valley Unified School District, testified in support of option #4 (Attachment B) and option #5 as his second choice (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Hilda Ortega-Rosales, Administrator, Tolleson Union School District, testified in support of option #4 and option #5 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Richard Tozer, Chief Probation Officer La Paz County, testified in support of option #4 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Alan Mitchell, Assistant Principal, Dean of Students, Mingus Union High School, testified in support of option #4 (Attachment B) and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Representative Goodale spoke in favor of the School Safety Program.

Representative Campbell stated he would like to see the program maintained.

Ms. Ajamie further answered questions posed by the Committee.

Ms. Morley explained to the Committee that they would need to pick an option and that would dictate whether it would require an appeal process or not.

Mr. Swann moved that the School Safety Program Oversight Committee approve the implementation of the fiscal year 2011 budget reduction by eliminating positions that are unable to be filled which is option #1 (Attachment B), by reducing the training contract which is option #2 (Attachment B) and by including option #4 (Attachment B) the pro rata reduction to all districts with more than one officer. The motion CARRIED with a roll call vote of 5-0-1 (Attachment 1).

CONSIDERATION OF FY 2011 RENEWAL APPLICATION PROCESS

Ms. Morley discussed the renewal process, and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Dr. DePrez moved that the School Safety Program Oversight Committee approve the fiscal year 2011 renewal application process including granting the authority to ADE to award fiscal year 2011 funding. The motion CARRIED with a voice vote.

Joannie Collins, Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, answered questions posed by the Committee.

Ms. Ajamie, further answered questions posed by the Committee.

CONSIDERATION OF ARIZONA FOUNDATION FOR LEGAL SERVICES AND EDUCATION CONTRACT

Ms. Morley discussed the Consideration of Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education Contract and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Mr. Swan moved the School Safety Program Oversight Committee approve the renewal of the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education fiscal year 2011 contract. The motion CARRIED with a voice vote.

Attached is a list noting the individuals who registered their position on the agenda items (Attachment D).

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:13 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Toy Brown

Committee Secretary

(Audio recordings and attachments on file in the Secretary of Senate’s Office/Resource Center, Room 115. Audio archives are available at http://www.azsenate.gov).

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School Safety Program Oversight Committee

May 19, 2010

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