Manheim Central School Board votes to approve more than 100 security cameras to be installed in the district's five schools. The board voted 5 to 3 in favor of the cameras which will cost the district about $100,000. The money is coming out of the district's capital reserve fund. According to Interim Superintendent Jon Rednak, the account is currently worth $4 million.
CBS-21 News spoke to one of the dissenting board members who summed up the opposition, saying, they're not against installing these cameras, in fact, they think they're a good idea. They just want all of the details before voting to spend a large portion of the district's money.
Rednak says in recent school years, the district has had about 13 bomb threats. That's just one reason why the cameras make sense.
"I know there are concerns about student bullying. There are always concerns about fighting, concerns about theft," says Rednak.
These everyday problems have already begun to be tackled. 15 cameras were installed in the district's middle and high schools last year, which school officials say have been immensely helpful.
Rednak explains, "They're very effective, especially when you get into a major situation, a theft, an assault, (etc.). It becomes very easy to show law enforcement (when) we have video of this occurring."
The cameras, most of which will be concealed throughout the school, have a two-week memory. They can be viewed by school officials on any computer using a secure IP address.
The logistics of the project, like its timeline and a definitive price, for example, will be explained in a report expected to be presented at the next school board meeting on November 24th. The concerned board member CBS-21 News spoke with explained he looks forward to hearing more information. Then, he'd feel more comfortable about putting up the money.
