Starbard: School safety should be uniform

LYNN – The School Department spent more than $500,000 making public schools safer last year, but a School Committee member wants to make sure security measures are consistent from school to school.”I understand each school is trying to be as safe as possible, but if I go to English (High School), I want to know the procedure is the same as if I am signing into Ingalls (School): People should know what to expect,” said committee member Richard Starbard.Starbard has asked school security officer Robert Ferrari to outline security improvements and procedures to committee members tonight and stressed he thinks employees, parents and students are safe in local schools.”Bob’s done a tremendous job,” he said.City Inspectional Services Director Michael Donovan said school security improvements include exterior doors, locks and alarm systems, with much of the work done in the last year. Gov. Deval Patrick two weeks ago announced formation of a task force to review statewide school security days after a middle school shooting in New Mexico.”I think Lynn is way ahead of the curve,” Starbard said.But he wants assurances schools are using uniform sign-in procedures for school visitors.”I’ve had calls from people saying, ?I have to leave my driver’s license’ and some people saying, ?I have to leave my keys,'” Starbard said.He said good security procedures include assigning a visitor a badge or sticker identifying the person in detail with the requirement the visitor return the badge before leaving the school.Public schools are not the only city facilities seeing recent security upgrades or undergoing security reviews.Donovan said the city spent $18,000 on security glass mounted on counters in the assessor’s, treasurer’s and collector’s offices. The glass walls were installed last year after an angry customer picked up a fan and threw it at a city worker.The barriers were previously installed in the city clerk’s office and Parking Department, although the clerk’s office also has open counters.”This is a little added security,” said city Facilities Director Lloyd “Butchie” Barnes.Water and Sewer Commission officials are examining how chlorine used to treat waste water at the Commercial Street sewerage complex is stored. Between 15 and 20 chlorine gas cylinders are stored at the complex at any given time, according to minutes from an October 2013 commission meeting. Each cylinder weighs a ton.”We use gas, but most facilities use chlorine liquid – it’s safer,” said Operations Director Robert Tina.Commissioner David Ellis raised concerns about chlorine storage at the October meeting. Tina on Tuesday said chlorine is stored under highly secure conditions.”The plant is manned 24/7,” he said. “There are multiple alarms and automatic shutdown systems.”