of standing Board committees. I plan to encourage the re-establishment of the Business Services Committee as well as the Policy Committee. I also hope that we can reorganize our Curriculum Committee to include a long-term continuous academic achievement plan. The Board is scheduled to move into closed session at 6pm to discuss administrative contracts and negotiations with the MGEA. Our regularly scheduled meeting will reconvene at 7pm in the IMC. We have a fairly light agenda this week, with only two items of unfinished business: the discussion and possible approval of Board Policy 185- Standing Board Committees and the discussion and possible approval of the walk zone extension. The Board received recommendations from Transportation Director, John Vandermerwe and Director of Business Services Mary Ellen Van Valin to remove this budgetary reduction recommendation from consideration and I am inclined to agree with them. Mr.Vandermerwe is finding and implementing other ways for saving on costs by:- Reducing the number of stops on routes (largely enforcing Board Policy of 0.2 miles to the closest stop for K-4 and 0.5 miles for 5-12)
- Reducing bus idling times
- Making use of alternate bus maintenance and servicing opportunities.
- The possibility of reducing a midday run.
This is an excellent example of when asking for more detailed and thorough information can produce favorable results. Instead of just going with the flow and extending the walk zone as was originally recommended, affecting a couple hundred elementary-aged children and their families in the balance, the administration looked for better solutions and found them. And that's a good thing.
I got an email from the mdsdcommunity that said the board already voted to remove this two weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteMisinformation from the MGSD? There's a shocker.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little concerned with this bus item:
ReplyDeleteMaking use of alternate bus maintenance and servicing opportunities.
In my experience, choosing cheeper repair people has not saved money, nor does delaying needed repairs or check-ups. The former tend to miss things, which leads to a bigger repair bill (like a whole new transmission vs a 5 cent seal), and the latter fails to add in the towing/emergency service when a problem finally gets discovered.
Do you have any more information on this item? Is it some contract with our current service people, or some larger (cheeper) company that isn't local, or something else? If Vandermerwe can really save money on maintenance, more power to him. But cutting money from a maintenance budget doesn't cut the need for maintenance.
I don't have more information on what this would entail, but I will post on it after our meeting Wednesday. I can safely say right now, though, that John has the upmost concern for our kids' safety and keeping our bus fleet in tip top condition.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbBITrZa6Ok
ReplyDeletemight help.
somewhat off topic, but what's the timeline for deciding if the board will go to a spending referendum next year? It takes many, many months of planning and decision-making to pull of a successful referendum. In order to avoid significant budget cuts again, it seems to me you have less than year to get the show on the road, if you're going to get the show on the road at all. Is there a timeline yet? Or at least a timeline for making a timeline?
ReplyDeleteOK, Music Man poster- you just made me shoot coffee out my nose. That is flippin' hilarious.
ReplyDeletewell-I would be willing to pay BIG ($20 American) money to see y'all (the board) pull that off at a meeting. I am sure both communities would-
ReplyDeleteIt could be like a fund raiser...maybe Mike Duplayee could direct.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Mike has a musical background but I would pay big time to recreate this scene with the current Board. Oh, the hats alone...
ReplyDeleteAnd I demand a tambourine
ReplyDeleteYour dog is ridicously adorable.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is correct.
ReplyDeleteRe: reducing bus maintenance costs- I asked John in our meeting last night to explain his savings in this area. He explained that the bus maintenance company that we use for warranty work is located in DeForest, a long haul for both drivers, gas, time on the clock, etc. By having routine non-warranty repairs done in Cottage Grove (I'm assuming here, because he said "a place right down the street", the district can substantially save a considerable amount of money. John said that we are already usinf this company's services on a trial biasis right now and he has been very pleased with the excellent service and cost-savings.
ReplyDeleteIf the Cottage Grove company can honor the warranty, more power to the switch.
ReplyDeleteRe: timeline for going to referendum. As of right now, I am not aware of any timeline for going to referendum. I will find out what the plan is and report back.
ReplyDelete