NEDERLAND — The Nederland City Council has voted to allow art students at Nederland High School to paint utility boxes around the city. The boxes will be the ones the city owns where it controls the stoplights.

During the Aug. 27 meeting, Nederland art teacher Lynell Smith stood before the City Council and answered questions ranging from whose insurance covers the children while painting to the types of paints and painting methods being used to ensure there will not be harm done to the boxes or the wiring.

Smith received positive feedback and the council members voted unanimously in her favor Monday.

“They are going to start lining it up and picking the location,” City Manager Chris Duque said Tuesday. “Then they’ll submit the artwork for us to review. They’re going to give us proper notice so that we can advise the police department just in case people call in and say someone is tagging the boxes.”

Duque said that there would also be an increased patrol presence near where the students will be painting.

“We will increase the presence near the students so that people are aware,” he said. “We want to make sure people aren’t driving recklessly or speeding near them.”

The city also approved the new budget and tax rate for the city’s 2018-2019 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Nedelrand’s next city council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 24.

SROs

The Nederland Police Department has added two new school resource officers to patrol the schools. The additions were originally supposed to come after the beginning of the fiscal year in October. However, since the two positions were going to be filled internally, the department decided to move forward with the officers’ new assignments.

Police Chief Gary Porter said Karl Leone and Jennifer Bradberry were chosen as the new SROs. Leone will patrol C.O. Wilson Middle School and will also have Helena Park Elementary and Langham Elementary. Bradberry has been assigned to Central Middle School and will also have Highland Elementary and Hillcrest Elementary.

The department’s original SRO, Richard Hebert, will be assigned to Nederland High School.