By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Maplesville Police Department is partnering with Chilton County Schools to have an office at Maplesville High School during school hours for the rest of the school year.

Chief Todd Ingram gave the Maplesville Town Council an update during its meeting on March 12.

Ingram said the program was using off-duty officers and was being paid for by the school system. The Board of Education has approved $100,000 from reserve funds in start the program.

In response to community comments that the other CCS schools had an officer in place before Maplesville, Ingram explained he had been at a Police Chiefs Conference when the Board of Education made the decision.

Ingram said the officer will monitor the hallways, ensure doors are locked, etc.

“We are going to do this until the end of the school year,” Ingram said. “We are having a meeting Thursday to discuss next year.”

The March 15 BOE meeting is at 1 p.m. at LeCroy Career Technical Center and is open to the public.

Mayor W.C. Hayes brought up the discussions at the state level about arming teachers in the classrooms.

“They would be required to go to the same training we go to … trainings on school shootings and stuff like that, what to do if it happens,” Ingram said.

The current agreement with the school system does not include any coordination of school traffic. Ingram said officers are at the school when available shooting radar in an effort to get traffic to slow down to the speed limit near the school and helping with traffic during drop-off and pick-up times.

The Maplesville Council also approved a request to change the police officer evaluation schedule from quarterly to twice a year.

Also during the meeting, the Town Council:

— Approved giving $1,000 to the Maplesville High School Athletic Club fishing tournament, which raises funds for the school’s various athletic booster clubs.

— Tabled discussion on replacing a speed bump on Dawn Street that had been removed. Property owners had brought concern to the Town Council that cars were driving around it and onto their property. Resident Anne Taddicken said even with drivers going around it, the speed bump was successful in slowing the traffic down.

— Accepted a bid from J&A Trucking for $1,325 for a 2009 Dodge Charger, which had been declared surplus.

— Approved purchasing new AEDs to replace outdated models.

— Approved a resolution to allow the Historical Society to apply for a grant from the Alabama 200 Centennial for a gazebo to be constructed behind the Methodist Church.