The Gloucester School Board voted 6-0 during its meeting Dec. 12 in the T.C. Walker Education Center to request approximately $200,000 of its unspent fiscal year 2017 appropriations to be used for security purposes in the county schools. The matter is expected to come before the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors for its approval next month.

According to schools superintendent Walter Clemons, the school system has $199,773 of unspent appropriations that was allocated to them for the current fiscal year. He broke down various needs of the school system that the unspent funds could go toward, including a $98,714 Motorola Bi-Directional Amplifier. 

Clemons said emergency communications for neighboring Bethel and Peasley schools are inadequate and an amplifier system is needed at each location to meet safety concerns. “Thankfully, our amplifiers at our other schools seem to be working just fine, so right now, we don’t see a need for additional amplifiers at those sch...