POLAND – The Poland School Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to raise by nearly $8,000 its funding for an Androscoggin County deputy in its schools.

The hike was part of a new pay structure for the county’s deputies, agreed upon last year between county leaders and the officers’ union.

Officer John Collins, Poland’s school resource officer for the past two years, was awarded a 22 percent pay raise as a result of the deal, which boosted the salaries of officers with experience at other departments.

Collins worked 20 years with the Portland Police Department, committee member Laurie Levine said. His salary and benefits package from the school will be $40,534 annually, she said.

“It was an all-or-nothing proposition,” said Ike Levine, chairman of the Poland School Committee. Because of the contractual agreement between the town and the county, the School Committee had the power only to accept the pay hike or end the agreement.

“Everyone agreed that John has done a great job,” Levine said. “It was not even an issue.”

Collins will serve the Poland Regional High School and Bruce M. Whittier Middle School, which are in the same building on Route 26. The middle school serves grades seven and eight; the high school nine through 12.

Collins works two-thirds of his time as a school resource officer and one-third patrolling the town as a contract deputy, Laurie Levine said.