School Board votes to invest in transportation
By Tracy Ouellette
SLN Staff
The East Troy Community Schools Board of Education voted to invest in the district’s transportation department and keep the district’s busing in house at the Jan. 23 meeting.
District administration had asked the board to consider investing in the transportation department, which includes upgrading the bus garage and hiring more drivers and support staff, and had presented the board with several options, including keeping the busing in house or outsourcing transportation services.
Several bus drivers spoke at the Jan. 9 meeting during a public hearing, voicing concerns about outsourcing. At the Jan. 23 meeting, drivers again spoke out against outsourcing and some said they felt they were being told they weren’t doing their jobs satisfactorily.
“The drivers are getting the feeling we’re not doing an adequate job,” bus driver Dave Tuttle said.
“I don’t think anyone here is saying that,” board member Martha Bresler said.
District Administrator Chris Hibner said that wasn’t the case at all and all the options presented to the board, including outsourcing, were contingent on all the bus drivers keeping their jobs, even with a new company.
Hibner said all the proposals from First Student and Dunham had it written that every bus driver would be offered a job with the new company with pay at or above their current level.
Bus driver Steve Cleveland said he was concerned about how quick everything was happening and didn’t want the district to give up control of the busing under pressure because they wanted to have a signed contract for summer school busing to be done by the new company if they outsourced.
Hibner said, before the board voted, that it had been decided that this year’s summer school would not be bused by the new company, if it was contracted with.
In the end, the School Board members decided not to outsource at this time, but to invest in the transportation department while keeping it in house.
The board directed district Business Manager Kathy Zwirgzdas to put the impact need of the transportation investment into the 2017-18 budget.
The projected cost of the transportation needs include about $200,000 to $230,000 to upgrade the bus garage and another $150,000 to $170,000 annually in additional personnel.
Board member Steve Lambrechts asked Hibner if administration was considering recommending using money from the fund balance for the garage upgrades and Hibner said “absolutely” since it was a one-time expense. Hibner went on to say that the annual salary increases, however, would have to be budgeted for.
Hibner and Zwirgzdas both said one of the biggest hurdles to managing the district’s transportation service is the lack of bus drivers. They acknowledged staffing the department was something they were concerned about and Zwirgzdas asked for some direction on what to do if they were unable to fill the needed positions.
While the board decided not outsource now, the option wasn’t off the table if the district couldn’t maintain adequate staff to drive the routes. The board members decided to review the situation in one to two years, or sooner if necessary, if the district couldn’t make in house busing work anymore.
Bus drivers needed
Anyone interested in driving a bus for the School District should contact the district office at (262) 642-6710 or 2043 Division St., East Troy,
