Mars Area School Board rejected a one-year contract extension with Adams Township Police Department in a virtual meeting Tuesday night.

Two officers were contracted from the department in August 2019 to join a “hybrid” law enforcement team within the district. Alongside three district security officers, they monitored each of the five Mars school buildings during the school day.

A contract extension — with no rate increase — for the 2020-21 school year was tabled earlier this month.

In a 6-3 vote, board members first moved to bring it back to the table Tuesday shortly after approving a tentative 2020-21 budget that's expected to eliminate some district positions and funding.

Several board members argued these eliminations and the possibility of online instruction continuing in the fall was cause for reviewing the police agreement.

“I do think with the financial hardships that we're experiencing that we could reduce that presence by one,” said board member Kevin Hagen.

Hagen said that while township police are important to the district's hybrid security model, the district has its own security officers. He indicated that eliminating one township officer position could redirect some funds to district professionals.

The problem is the contract in place doesn't allow for downsizing.

“I think that's a better use of our funds,” Hagen said. “This contract can't do that.”

Board member Sallie Wick argued the fact that the cost of the contract would be frozen for a year could help the district maintain financial stability.

“That's what we're trying to accomplish this year,” Wick said. “To keep things status quo.”

Wick said she was in favor of the contract extension.

Board member Megan Lenz, who is married to a township police officer, also said she favored it.

“Adams Township Police Department is bringing true community policing into our school,” Lenz said. “Our current model is working.”

Board member Christine Valenta agreed. She said the district-police relationship is particularly important in the wake of the recent appointment of Mark Gross as superintendent.

“This provides an opportunity ... to meet Dr. Gross,” Valenta said. “And for Dr. Gross to have some kind of input on what happens longer term with this initiative.”

Referencing Hagen's comment, board member Dayle Ferguson said the issue was contractual, not theoretical.

“I stand strongly behind the objective of having an officer in every one of our school buildings,” Ferguson said. “(But) we have the potential of throwing good money after bad.”

Ferguson, who voted to untable the item, said she's willing to consider an “alternate model” that takes into account the time officers may not spend monitoring students if the district continues online instruction in the fall.

Ferguson also said she doesn't believe the situation will become clearer in the next month.

“If we were to just pause a little bit, I agree with getting the new superintendent in here,” Ferguson said. “See what our short-term future holds.”

“I'd like to echo those thoughts,” said board member Anthony DePretis. “I do have an issue with some of the language in the contract based on what's going on with COVID-19.”

Valenta said that even if the district doesn't return to face-to-face instruction in the fall, it will at some point. Not renewing the contract now might make it difficult to retain officers in the middle of the school year.

The current agreement with Adams Township Police Department expires June 30.

Wick said she wasn't willing to risk not being able to have township officers in school buildings during the 2020-21 year. “We aren't guaranteed that we would be able to renegotiate something else prior to the fall,” Wick said.

“I just don't think we know enough to say that we're going to spend that money,” DePretis argued.

During the meeting, the board indicated the net worth of the contract as it stands for two officers is about $35,000. Lenz asked if the board considered where the district would use money saved in the contract.

DePretis and board President John Kennedy said they couldn't be sure where the money would go.

District parent Jennifer McAfee said she supported the contract extension. Having police officers on district property has helped with handling such issues as bomb threats, McAfee said.

“Your Adams Township Police Department (officers) were key in investigating,” she said. “You do not get a retired police officer to conduct investigations into bomb threats.”

McAfee said having access to resources such as community policing and K-9 units is possible due to two contracted police officers working within the district.

“Having access to those things comes with having a police department,” McAfee said. “It does not come with having a retired state trooper (who) sits on his couch watching “Live PD.'”

The district's hybrid law enforcement team includes only retired state police.

Following discussion, DePretis, Ferguson, Hagen, Rita Dorsch and Gordon Marburger voted against extending the contract.

Despite the motion failing, Kennedy said the district will still work on a revised police contract.

“There's a lot to discuss yet,” Kennedy said. “Our hope is to come out a safer district.”

A call to the Adams Township Police Department for comment wasn't immediately returned.