Hartland Township Open to Help Pay for Deputy at High School

The switch from at Hartland High School to save money is raising questions with Hartland Township officials who say they might be willing to help with funding.

"Right now, everything is on the table," said Supervisor Bill Fountain when specifically asked about township funding following a discussion on the topic during Tuesday's board meeting.

Officials said they are worried the change could negatively impact police coverage communitywide and they said they would seek meetings with Hartland Superintendent Janet Sifferman and Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte. The contract with the township for additional police coverage expires in about one year and officials said that's enough time to set up a partnership that includes the schools.

"It just raises a concern for me that this officer that we pay to cover the rest of the township might get tied up during the daytime at the school," said Trustee Glenn Harper.

Sifferman said Thursday she's willing to meet with township officials, although she added the district is "very happy with the arrangement," which would save it $30,000 a year in what's a tough budget environment with recent state cuts.

The new director, who starts with this school year, is Mike Capra, a retired deputy who served in the role of resource officer for several years when he was in the sheriff's department.

Bezotte, who has been disappointed with the change, is not confident in future discussion, saying additional meetings at this point "would be useless."

"Jan has made her decision, I respect her decision, but I think any further dialogue at this point would not be productive," Bezotte said Thursday. "If in the future the school board wishes to sit down and talk to the sheriff's office, I will always be available to do so."