School Board Member raises transparency concerns over Putnam County guardian program

When school starts next month in Putnam County, 25 armed and anonymous guards will be in the county’s 20 schools.

But Tuesday night at the school board meeting, there was tense debate over the guardian program.

The program is associated with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and is called STAR for Sheriff’s Trained Armed Response.

School Board member Kathy Jorgensen alleged that Superintendent Rick Surrency violated the Sunshine Laws by pushing through the program.

She said when the board voted to approve the program last month, it was following a motion that was not on the agenda.

“Florida Sunshine [Laws say] the public has a right to know everything we’re going to vote on, and they also have a right to come to our meeting and talk to us about it before we vote on it,” Jorgensen said.

“There was not one member of the public at that meeting because the guardian program was not on the agenda. I didn’t know we were going to vote on the guardian program.”

Action News Jax took the concerns to Superintendent Surrency.

“We followed the Sunshine Laws,” Surrency said.  “The board voted on it, it was an agenda item, so everything was in the sunshine.  We’re just trying to make sure our schools are protected.”

The school board also added three deputies and one sergeant with PCSO as resource officers.

Cox Media Group