FARMNGTON — No one on the Mt. Blue Regional School District board of directors Tuesday liked the idea of a single-tier bus run and contracting out bus and custodial services to save money but they agreed not to rule it out.
Moving from the current two-tier bus run down to one and using a private company to provide key services would mean lay-offs and reduced benefits for remaining staff with minimal savings, according to a report by David Leavitt, director of support services.
The board asked Leavitt to move forward with getting bids from private contractor for both services.
The budget prospects remain gloomy but are better than expected, Superintendent Michael Cormier said. The district expects to receive $425,000 less in state aid than last year but that is an improvement over the $900,000 subsidy reduction he anticipated.
In the proposed district budget, $478,000 has been cut from last year but there is still a $270,000 hole.
“We will be asking for a tax increase,” he said.
In his report, Leavitt said the district has 23 bus drivers, three mechanics and two car drivers, with 33 full and part-time custodians, most of whom do custodial work during the day to bring their hours up to full time.
With a single-tier system, keeping custodial services as they are and with all six district schools moving to the same schedule, the estimated total savings would be about $42,000, he said .
Reduced health benefits, savings in wages, and reduced mileage could save nearly $227,000. But that would be offset by the need to hire part-time drivers and duty monitors for the elementary school. The monitors would watch over children who would arrive at school 45 minutes early and leaving later in the day.
Also, under this scenario, four new buses would be needed at a cost of $88,000 to lease/purchase per year, and older buses would have to be put into use.
If custodial services are contracted out while the bus runs remain the same, the district could save about $164,300 but only 13 staff would qualify for benefits, Leavitt said.
The option of a single-tier system and using a private custodial contractor would save about $232,575 but under that plan, only five current staff would qualify for health insurance.
Director Bob Flick of Farmington was outspoken in his opposition to the any plan that required such extensive personnel changes.
“This kind of proposal speaks of inequality. You are taking jobs away from people,” he said.
Director Iris Silverstein from Farmington, a pediatrician, also did not support contracting out services, especially those of bus drivers.
“These people can provide an environment that is supportive, safe and conducive to learning. There are some special relationships that kids can have with their bus drivers,” she said. “I know of kids whose bus ride in the morning can make or break their day.”
Putting those jobs in the hands of a private, for-profit company that pays people less and does not offer good benefits is not the way to go, she said.
“These are people who work directly with our students in a one-to-one way,” she said. “We need to support the fabric of our community, and that means jobs with benefits.”
Chairman Mark Prentiss said that those affected by the cuts would be people in this community. “We need to look at the monetary implications.”
Director Bill Reid of New Sharon brought up the issue of accountability of private workers:. “It will add an additional layer of bureaucracy.”
Student representative Alex Allen said she has seen how students develop relationships with their drivers. She recalled hearing a conversation between a student and driver who was concerned about the well-being of a rider she hadn’t seen for a few days.
“That shows the excellence of our drivers,” Allen said.
Leavitt also pointed out that a single-bus run would place elementary students and high schoolers together, a practice avoided now. And students would have to walk farther since the number of pickup points would be pared down. He added that the average bus run would be 1 ½ hours.
On the budget, Cormier said about $763,000 in fixed costs have to be covered, which include negotiated contracts with employees and increased costs for insurance and fuel. He also said the district’s share of the debt service for the Mt. Blue High School and Mallet School building projects kicks in this year, although the vast majority of the costs are picked up by the state.
Director Claire Andrews of Farmington, who is on the budget committee, said finding $270,000 to cut out of an last year’s already bare-bones budget terrifies her.
“We have so much to do to fill that hole that we have to keep our options open,” she said.
She said the board had to present solid figures to the public on contracting out services and a single-bus runs since those were suggested during budget brainstorming sessions held with the community and staff.
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