BUFFALO TWP — Freeport School District is now insured for computer hackers.

The school board Wednesday voted 5-3 to approve an $82,695 contract with Liberty Mutual Insurance through Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. that includes cyber liability.

Board members Christine Davies, Frank Prazenica and Barbara Toy-Gaydos dissented, preferring the option of buying insurance without cyber coverage for $75,860.

“I think we're being scared,” Davies said.

Board members Dan Lucovich, board president, Michael Huth, John Marty, Frank Borrelli and Melanie Bollinger voted in the majority.

Lucovich, executive director of administration for Armstrong County, said that county government recently had a breach.

“We've just had a major hack,” he said. “I'm grateful we have cyber insurance.”

Lucovich said it's not worth risking a cyber attack.

“It's just not pretty,” he said. “It's devastating.”

Ryan Manzer, district business manager, said he felt more secure having cyber insurance.

“We're getting more electronic,” Manzer said.

In other action, the board approved buying six sets of Spanish and French textbooks at a cost not to exceed $20,000.

The board reversed a May vote to not buy the books, approving the purchase by voting 5-3.

Davies, Prazenica and Borrelli dissented. Davies, a Spanish teacher in South Butler School District, previously said the new books were superfluous.

Prazenica said Wednesday the board should heed Davies due to her expertise.

Freeport Mayor Jim Swartz was nonplussed by the decision. “That's a good start at cutting the budget,” he said.