Busing consolidation could save Lincoln schools $589,000
Lincoln is among several local districts looking at busing consolidation.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Lincoln Consolidated Schools could save nearly 23 percent of its $2.8 million transportation budget if the proposed consolidation of busing services among Washtenaw County districts becomes a reality.
This news was delivered Monday evening to the school board and audience by Brian Marcel, Washtenaw Intermediate School District assistant superintendent for business, and Len Brzozowski, Xavier Leadership Center executive director. They have been working on solutions to the problem of high-cost transportation since late last year.
The Lincoln district would reap savings of $589,000 by joining the countywide consortium. The plan would keep drivers and mechanics as WISD employees, thereby guaranteeing pension benefits. It’s being offered as an alternative to complete privatization of school bus operations.
“Why couldn’t we do what a privatizer does and put that money back into the classroom?” Brozozowski asked.
The list of changes includes ultimately using identical buses throughout the county. They would share components such as tires and run on the same fuel, whereas engine type currently varies from district to district. Parts could be purchased in large quantities at a savings. And cutting the parts inventory could save considerable cash.
“By the fact that we’re cooperating across the district boundaries, we can get additional savings because we no longer need 10 maintenance centers, for example,” Brozozowski said.
He and Marcel estimated $4.25 million could be saved if five of the county’s 10 districts go ahead with the plan. In addition to Lincoln, strong initial interest has been shown by other districts, including Ann Arbor, Whitmore Lake, Willow Run and Ypsilanti.
Transportation staff among the five districts could be cut from 573 to 507.
The plan also recommends an HMO-style insurance plan with health-care savings accounts for those employees.
“Transportation workers are generally heavier users on average of health insurance services,” Brzozowski said.
About 85 percent of the savings would be realized in the first year of the plan’s implementation, Brzozowski said.
The proposal, which will receive later action, came at the end of a up-and-down week of developments.
The $35-million capital improvements bond sought by district officials was approved in the May 4 election.
But 62 layoff notices went out to teachers on Friday.
“It was not done in malice,” Superintendent Lynn Cleary said. “It was done with a lot of care. And trust me, it does not feel good.”
The board also voted 5-1 to participate in Phase 2 of the federal Race to the Top program. Michigan education leaders seek to distribute $526 million among participating districts in an effort to increase test scores and the high school graduation rate.
Board Secretary Gregory Gurka cast the only opposing vote.
“There’s too many unknowns in the Race to the Top that they want us to blindly approve,” Gurka said, noting revisions in the program keep coming to Cleary.
“Things are happening in government now that—you don’t know how it’s going to end if it’s not in black and white in the beginning.”
Ronald Ahrens is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
glimmertwin
Wed, May 12, 2010 : 7:03 a.m.
I was listening to Michigan Radio last night and many school districts have sent out layoff notices. Apparently, this is common practice due to labor contracts and uncertainty of next school year's state funding. Schools need to plan, or at least, assume for the worst. In the end, there may be some layoffs, all the layoffs or there may not be any. I would assume this to be the case at Lincoln also.
ST
Tue, May 11, 2010 : 4:52 p.m.
The plan also recommends an HMO-style insurance plan with health-care savings accounts for those employees. Transportation workers are generally heavier users on average of health insurance services, Brzozowski said. Question: Why not have this type of plan for all school employees? What type of plan do the teachers and administrators have?
glimmertwin
Tue, May 11, 2010 : 1:28 p.m.
I'm sorry to hear that. The threat of cuts have been out there for a long, long time. But I wasn't aware that things started happening. Interesting about delaying the decision until the millage. If anything, I would have thought that laying off before the vote would have demonstrated to voters just how desperate the district is. Even though the millage has nothing to do with *teaching* salaries, many have been wondering just where they are going to cut to get their budget in shape. I'm just sorry that the schools in this state and this country are in such bad shape right now.
jjc155
Tue, May 11, 2010 : 12:14 p.m.
@glimmer as far as I know they are all currently filled positions, atleast my wife's is, LOL until end of the year that is. It sure does appear that the info was deliberately with held from both the public and the teachers who got pink slipped. The first inkling that my wife got about possible layoffs was when she opened an evelope on friday that started "we regret to inform you....." LOL Regretably I voted yes on the bond issue for improvements to a district that my wife is likely not going to work at anymore and that my children will NOT attend anymore.
garrett
Tue, May 11, 2010 : 11:01 a.m.
Nope! I dont think you missed it. I think it was deliberately withheld until after they insured a successful bond passage. A decision like that is not made in 2 days, which is how long it took them after the official election results came out, to make the layoff announcement. Way prior to the election there were vague mentions of possible layoffs, cutbacks and consolidation but NO mention of details like 60+ pink slips. I think anytime you deliberately withhold the truth from the people involved, especially in this circumstance, the intention is to use malice and dishonesty to get what you want.
glimmertwin
Tue, May 11, 2010 : 10:50 a.m.
We had not heard anything. Were these in positions currently filled, or in positions that were currently empty?
jjc155
Tue, May 11, 2010 : 10:35 a.m.
While I may have missed it (but I did go back over the past weeks worth of aa.com) I find it odd that the the news has not said anything about the over 60 pink slips that went out in Lincoln Consolidated School District informing teachers of layoffs effective at the end of the school year. When Saline, Ann Arbor and Ypsi districts sent out notices it was all over aa.com. I wonder if the parents of Lincoln students even know about the impending layoff?
glimmertwin
Tue, May 11, 2010 : 7:26 a.m.
>> Transportation workers are generally heavier users on average of health insurance services, Brzozowski said. I would really like to know more about this. It doesn't surprise me based on personal experiences with us personally - we have seen a couple of long-term substitutions due to drivers on medical leave. But I'd be curious to know why this is the case more so with transportation employees. Perhaps if their unions or representatives would have stepped up and realized this, addressed and corrected it before it got to this point changing would not even be considered. It's just a very interesting quote and I would be interested in seeing numbers to back it up.