The Clark County Board of Education failed to pass a motion that would have added two new district-wide school resource officers at its regular meeting Tuesday.

Board members Gordon Parido and Ashley Ritchie voted in favor of the motion, but board member Judy Hicks and chairperson Scott Hisle opposed. Board member Michael Kuduk was absent and excused from the meeting.

Earlier this year, the board approved hiring three additional school resources officers. Donald Stump, administrative director of operations, initially asked the board to consider approving five additional school resource officers, but the board voted to add three SROs instead.

Stump asked Tuesday to add two more SROs which would have brought the total SRO employment positions to seven if it had passed.

The projected cost of the two positions was estimated at $95,000 annually and would have been funded by the general fund. SROs work eight-hour work days for 181 days and on average have about 21 years of experience. Most SROs are retired law enforcement officers.

Supt. Paul Christy said he would like to have nine SROs so there could be an SRO at every school.

Hisle said he would like to see additional resources for school psychologists and counselors in elementary schools instead of SROs.

“In the world we live in, we’re limited with the number of funds we have,” Hisle said. “… If we are going to invest $95,000,  I think it would probably be better spent in elementary schools on counseling and psychologist support.”

The board also approved (4 to 0) the purchase of a welding electronic brake press for a cost of about $87,000.

Todd Wilson, principal of the Area and Technology Center, said the piece of equipment would put the students on the cutting edge of welding and make them more employable to welding companies. It would also give the student another trade learned as the job market grows.

Hicks said she was concerned with the process of requests. She said a number of high-dollar items are coming to the board that should have been discussed before the budgeting process so the items could have been budgeted items rather than unbudgeted requests that have to become contingency requests.

“Contingency in prior years used to be for emergency and unanticipated expenses, but it seems that many of these would have, could have, should have been anticipated expenses to be included in budget rather than be contingency,” Hicks said.

Hicks said she would like to get to the point to where the district knows what is coming.

“We approved the tentative budget in September,” Hicks said. “And then in October, we had considerable requests, and tonight, we have considerable requests totaling $446,549.”

The board also approved the purchase of vehicles for SROs not to exceed $50,000. Stump said the money would be used to either purchase two new vehicles or three used vehicles. He said SROs use the vehicles to travel from school to school as well as to transport counselors, students and more.

In other action, the board:

— tabled the consideration of the approval of Fountas and Pinnell Interactive Read Alouds and Guided Reading Materials.

— approved air conditioning system proposals for the Campbell Junior High School library.

— approved proposed “Addendum to Owner and Contractor Agreement” dated July 23, 2014, between the Clark County Board of Education and Duke’s Roofing and Exterior Construction for the middle school roof recoat project.

— approved pay application 1514-23 to RossTarrant Architects, for the George Rogers Clark High School gymnasium and athletic fields project for $9,262,23.

— approved pay application 1829-06 to RossTarrant Architects, for the George Rogers Clark High School fields house and athletics phase three project for $8,605.19

— approved pay application 11 to Codell Construction, Contractors and Suppliers for the George Rogers Clark High School gymnasium and athletic fields project for $1,209,336.32.

— approved pay application 17 to Performance Services, Inc., for guaranteed energy conservation savings project for $420,345.61.

— approved a safety communications proposal from New Tech Systems Inc., for  $30,145.

— approved superintendent to bid the demolition of the Arrow Coatings Building per KDE approval.

— approved change order 18-4 to Fayette Electrical Service Inc., for the George Rogers Clark High School gymnasium and athletic field project  for $5,903.19

— approved change order 19-7 to Rising Sun Developing Inc., for the George Rogers Clark High School gymnasium and athletic field project  for $10,715.68

— approved change order 19-8 to Rising Sun Developing Inc., for the George Rogers Clark High School gymnasium and athletic field project  for $2,944.55

— approved change order 1-3 for project time extension No. 2 to all contractors on the George Rogers Clark High School gymnasium and athletic field project.

— approved quote proposals from Quicksand Farms for the Turf Management Plans for the high school baseball, soccer and football fields for $7,250.

— tabled the approval of grant initiatives resulting from On The Table community forum and collaboration with the Clark County Community Foundation.

— approved the final version of the “Choose Clark County” marketing brochure.

— approved board members, board members elect and superintendent to attend the KSBA winter symposium Nov. 30

— approved board attorney RFQ and advertisements.