As discussions between the city and the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District on a new contract regarding school resource officers continue, the city council Tuesday took a necessary step in that direction by approving a revised salary schedule.

City Attorney Geoffrey Davis said today that part of the agreement the city and the RRGSD are working on is that filling those positions would be contingent on their costs being defrayed by the school system.

Historically, the arrangement in Roanoke Rapids has always been unusual in that for decades, the SROs were employees of the RRGSD, and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office or RRPD held their law enforcement certifications, he said. “Last night’s action is the first step in bringing the program more in line with modern frameworks.”

City Manager Kelly Traynham said in a memo to the council that a long-term vacancy between the city and the school district prompted the consideration to expand the police department’s capacity to provide SRO services to the system.

“Approval of the revised FY 27 salary schedule will allow the city to immediately proceed with recruitment for the vacant position/positions,” she said in the memo.

A memorandum of understanding with the RRGSD will be on the table at the next council meeting, she said. “In order to prepare for the upcoming school year, we need to start advertising for positions and the funding for them is expected to be tied to the agreement with the school district because the city expects to be reimbursed for those services.”

Traynham said the revised salary schedule adds two different descriptions. One is a supervisory position and the other is a regular SRO position. “These positions have been placed in a recommended rate and salary range that seems to be appropriate for the police department and other agencies.”

She said the approval of the salary schedule was made with the understanding that employment won’t begin until there is an agreement for reimbursement with the school district.

A vacancy for the majority of the last school year at Chaloner Middle School helped lead to the discussions, she said. “The SRO agreement is being worked out and drafted with the school district. This is kind of the first step in a series of steps. The goal is to have a more permanent solution to making sure that the students, the staff, the teachers, and everybody at the school system continues to feel safe and continues to feel protected.”

Davis told the council, “What we anticipate right now would be kind of a transition from the current system as it exists now to a more permanent solution that’s ultimately staffed by our city officers.”

Councilman Andy Jackson made the motion to approve the revised salary schedule and, with a second from Rex Stainback, the matter passed unanimously.