Panther Valley School District has hired a new security agency for school events.

The school board voted 9-0 Thursday night to hire County Security Police of New Milford to provide security services for athletic games and other school events.They agreed to a rate of $16 per hour and $24 per hour on holidays.The board had to look for a new firm after its longtime security provider closed up shop with the death of its owner.Vanak Detective Agency held the contract for security since 1985. Over that time, Vanak was operated by John "Punchy" Vanak, who died in November at 83. He was best known as a professional basketball referee who spent 30 years officiating games in the NBA and ABA.The agency's history actually went back much further. According to a 1988 article in the (Panther) Valley Gazette, Vanak took over the agency in 1983. However the agency dated back to World War II. Dan Ziegler, who operated the agency between 1960 and 1983, told the Valley Gazette that it was originally founded to provide security for coal companies in the Panther Valley after the state Legislature outlawed the companies' own private police forces.