JAY – Selectmen are scheduled to discuss a cops-in-school grant, a rail-trail support letter and recreation on Monday.

The meeting starts with a special town meeting at 6 p.m. at the Community Building.

Town Manager Ruth Marden said there still was no word on whether the town has been approved for a $60,000 grant to move a waterline that is under a residential septic system in North Jay. Accepting the grant is the reason for the special town meeting.

School Superintendent Robert Wall plans to discuss applying for a grant to have a resource officer at the Jay High School.

Wall said a resource officer would be a benefit to the school and in other schools, it has been a positive connection for the community and law enforcement.

Wall said it is in the exploration stage. The grant would be a three-year grant for up to $125,000.

The grant would require the school system to retain the officer for a fourth year at the expense of the taxpayers. According to Marden, the officer would have to be employed year-round. She has run a cost analysis on the proposal.

For someone opting for single health-insurance coverage, it would cost $44,418 the first year, including salary and other necessities; $46,296 the second year and $48,170 for the third year. That would leave a balance to come out of the school budget, she said, because it adds up to more than $125,000.

The fourth year is estimated at $50,145.

If the officer opted for family health coverage, Marden projected the costs of salary and benefits at $50,652 first year; $53,044 the second year, $55,593 the third year and $58,311 for the fourth year.

Marden also said she’ll be recommending that selectmen send a letter of support for the upgrade of a 14.5-mile rail-trail. Selectmen had tabled action on the support letter for a grant until they found out if all-terrain vehicles would be able to use it.

Marden said that after attending a meeting with a coalition, “it’s obvious the state will not support any grant that excludes any group of users.”

Marden also plans to recommend hiring a recreation director and discuss shortening the summer program to four weeks.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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