By John Voket

Nearly six months into the fiscal year, Newtown officials were authorized December 21 to dip into the as yet unused contingency account to cover unanticipated costs to in part cover the cost of summertime unemployment claims for six of Newtown's ten school security officers (SSOs).

The eventually approved contingency transfer for $35,298 was targeted to cover $15,000 in unemployment compensation, along with an unrelated $20,298 in insurance costs other than employee benefits.

Mrs Llodra said six of the town's ten SSOs filed claims, which the town opposed through the state Department of Labor. But officials eventually learned that the SSOs qualify for the benefit, even though the positions were specifically advertised and understood to be school-year posts with summers off.

"Typically our unemployment compensation has been quite small - we budget $10,000 each year," Mr Tait explained. "But now that we have the SSOs, they are allowed to claim for unemployment during the summer."

After the meeting, Mr Tait clarified that while the anticipated fiscal year expense for the SSOs in this transfer covers July and part of August of 2016, and any unworked days in June of 2017 for the six officers, he plans to increase the unemployment budget line to $35,000 beginning in 2017 in the event all ten officers file summer claims next year.

School security officers are a relatively new entity in Connecticut, coming about in early 2013, in the months following the Sandy Hook tragedy. These former or retired, but still certified and armed, police officers supplement municipal or other police officials and are typically dedicated to work within local schools.

The balance of the transfer, Mr Tait said, covered a shortfall in the town's workers compensation and general liability budget as well as a one-time liability rider for the annual Labor Day Parade.

Legislative Chair Mary Ann Jacob said when she and other council members endorsed the SSO program in 2013, they were under the impression that one of the benefits was that officers would have summers off, and there would be no additional taxpayer costs associated with the positions other than their school year pay and qualified benefits.

Mrs Llodra said it was a surprise to learn that the officers were entitled to the unemployment benefits. Ms Jacob questioned whether local school bus drivers are subject to the same ruling, but Mr Tait said he would have to consult with school officials to determine that answer.

Councilman Daniel Amaral asked if the town could change the SSO classifications to part-time, but Ms Jacob said that even classified part-timers could qualify for unemployment.

Councilman Ryan Knapp asked whether North Haven, the only other community to employ SSOs this year, also faced the same liability. But Mrs Llodra said she was unaware of how North Haven was handling compensation for those positions there.

Councilman Chris Eide asked whether making the SSOs salaried posts would alleviate the town's liability. "It seems to me that this is an increase in wages that wasn't intended for [these] positions," he said.

Mrs Llodra said according to the town's labor attorney, there was nothing the town could do to dodge covering the added benefit.

Mr Eide was concerned that taxpayers reviewing budget details would logically assume the amount budgeted for SSO compensation was the total wage cost for the positions, which is no longer true.

Mrs Llodra said the town also learned that the SSOs are also entitled to more vacation and sick day benefits. "This isn't what we were told originally, but this is part of the learning curve. These aren't positions that anyone [previously] knew how to manage," she said.

Council Vice Chair Paul Lundquist asked why the council was just learning about the liability now when the expense began to accrue last summer.

Ms Jacob replied, saying that the benefits are paid when the workers qualify, and if the appeal to the claims is successful, the expended funds are returned to the town's account and the state goes after the worker to return the money they previously collected.

She also asked that as council discussions turn to the next budget proposal, Mrs Llodra and Mr Tait be prepared to review the full scope of potential unemployment liabilities for any town workers who may qualify for off season unemployment, but who have yet to file for those benefits.

Councilman Anthony Filiato also affirmed that if the town opted to eliminate the SSO positions completely, that the town would still be liable for unemployment compensation for any or all of the ten officers who chose to file for unemployment compensation after their annual contracts lapsed.

This report was updated at 10am December 24 to correct a point incorrectly attributed to Councilman Neil Chaudhary. The final point in this story was made by Councilman Anthony Filiato.