EAST PALESTINE School district eliminates resource officer position

The district's new high school principal is from Geauga County.
EAST PALESTINE -- With the loss of $75,000 in state funding, the city schools have eliminated the resource officer position and reduced the psychologist position from full to half time.
Superintendent Jeff Richardson said Brian Moore, a patrolman with the East Palestine Police Department, has been the school resource officer for four years. The first three years, 75 percent of his salary was paid by the U.S. Department of Justice. The school district paid all of Moore's salary last year.
Police Chief Clyde Hoffmeister said the school resource officer program worked well for the school district and the department.
"It's a nice program and I hate to see it go," he said. "Our department was the first in the county to have a school resource officer full time. There have been others since, but many are falling victim to budget cuts."
Hoffmeister said Moore worked at the school full time during his regular shifts, and during the summer months he worked full time on patrol in different areas of the city.
Hoffmeister said Moore will continue as a full-time patrolman. He fills a slot left vacant by Jim Brown, who took a position with the Columbiana County prosecutor's office.
New principal
The school district has hired a principal to replace David Guy, who retired.
Richardson said Gary Contini will begin duties as East Palestine High School principal Aug. 1. The board approved a two-year contract for Contini with a starting salary of $66,155.97.
Guy retired after 35 years as an educator, 22 as East Palestine's high school principal.
Richardson said Contini has eight years' experience as a high school principal, all with one school district, Berkshire Schools in Geauga County.
Richardson said he interviewed seven of 21 applicants and the board interviewed four finalists. He said Contini won out because of his experience and stability.