Bus comm. looks to resolve future problems
Published on November 4th, 1998
STONEHAM, MA - With school bus service just recently secured for the current school year, the newly formed Busing Committee has begun its work in figuring out how to provide the service for next year.
As a subcommittee of the School Committee, the group first met Tuesday night and agreed to begin fact finding with regard to costs, comparisons and neighborhood needs.
Earlier this year, the School Committee eliminated school-funded bus service from the budget in lieu of curriculum requirements. Since that time, outcries from parents, as well as from Stoneham Safety Officer Richard Duonolo, resulted in action from the Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting to allocate municipal funds for reinstatement of the service for the balance of the school year.
Stoneham School Superinten-dent Dr. Joseph Connelly advised the committee that while the Board of Selectmen recently supported the appropriation of funds, members made it clear that such action will not be supported next year.
(The request originally covered four buses at a total cost of $78,000. Following further research, however, the School Department found it necessary to add a fifth bus, increasing the town appropriation to $98,000.)
According to Connelly, the School Committee will need to review options for fiscal year 2000 early in the budget process. Many parents claimed that notification of the service cut for this year was made too late for them to find acceptable, alternative means of transportation.
"I have an obligation to make recommendations to the School Committee early on in the budget process," stated Connelly. He targeted January as a timetable for which recommendations regarding next year's service should be made. With that time-frame established, he called the group a temporary, short-term committee.
Complicating matters somewhat is the need to re-bid the bus service contract this winter, since Stoneham is currently in its fifth year of a five-year contract with Vocell Bus Company.
For another five-year contract for school bus service, Connelly advised that the current cost of buses is expected to rise. He described Stoneham's rate at $140 per day, per bus (or a yearly $25,000 per bus) as no longer competitive. Based on what surrounding towns pay for bus service, Connelly stated that the annual figure for next year could be $30,000 or more.
The significance of that figure, stated Connelly, is that it equates to the cost of a first year teacher. The budget challenge may eventually be looked at as trading off a teacher for a bus, said Connelly.
Another challenge to the process is the expected budget increase of an estimated $850,000 to cover capital, new programs, and salary increases.
"It's going to eat up that $850,000 real quickly," stated Connelly.
Brainstorming resulted in options for providing the service next year and included: town purchase of buses, partial subsidy by the town for private fee service, continued School Committee responsibility for funding, transfer of financial obligation to the town, and elimination of the service entirely.
Members also considered the long range requirements in view of the school building project. They agreed that the budget restraints regarding bus service would likely persist as South School students continue to be displaced while their school is being rebuilt.
"This busing crunch will not be the same six years from now. It will change," stated committee member Ann Simmons.
Connelly encouraged members to be open minded about all the options which will be discussed further at the next meeting.
"As a committee, we have to honestly (look at) all options (and) develop pros and cons for every option. The School Committee will make the final decision," stated Connelly.
For the time being, the committee agreed to tackle fact-finding tasks and bring the results to the next meeting.
Pricing from various school bus companies on fees for private bus transportation in Stoneham will be obtained. In addition, members will identify neighborhood conditions considered dangerous in order to determine those areas that school bus service is considered crucial (such as areas with no sidewalks or crossing guards).
Those results will be compared to the School Department's current listing and shared with Officer Duonolo and a representative from the Department of Public Works.
The committee consists of members representing parent groups at each school. Connelly and School Department Business Manager Donald Simpson serve as co-chairs. Also on board is Simmons, Jennifer McGrath, Annamaria Schrimpf, Mary McCarthy, Carol Nocella, Paul MacDonald and Joanne Tortorici. Mary Carey will serve as liaison to the School Committee.
"It's just such a major safety issues, that's why I'm here...Money has to be found someplace," stated McGrath.
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for November 17 at 7 p.m.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!