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BOE considers cutting bus routes, creating ‘hubs’
Published Friday, November 20, 2009
It’s a move that could create “havoc in the community.” A possible decision to make cuts in the Butler County School System’s transportation program looms ahead for the BOE.
At Thursday night’s work session and meeting, Mike Looney presented three options proposed to deal with a program the superintendent said is “hemorrhaging money.”
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“Option A is for the board to eliminate all transportation for students living within a two-mile radius of the school,” Looney said. Option A would eliminate 15 routes and 15 bus drivers would lose their jobs. It would save more than $170,000 for the remainder of this school year, and more than double that amount in the next year.
“Obviously,” Looney said, “This move would create havoc in the community. State law establishes the two-mile radius rule. The only reason we pick up children in Butler County is that years ago a waiver was requested and granted due to lack of sidewalks and the issue of safety.”
Option B would be to divide the county’s municipalities into quadrants to establish hubs, or bus stops, where students would assemble to be picked up and dropped off.
This option would eliminate seven routes and seven drivers, Looney said. The system would save approximately $88,000 this year and $176,000 next year. Additional savings would be likely through lower fuel consumption, need for fewer parts and the sales of unused buses, he added.
“This option, too, would create unrest, as this is a community used to buses picking up children door-to-door,” Looney said.
The final option? “Don’t do anything. Don’t make any cuts and try to survive, operating in a deficit capacity.”
Assistant superintendent Allin Whittle, interim superintendent Joseph Dean and Sherry Bennett, chief financial officer, came up with the cost-cutting proposals brought before the board.
Why the urgent need to make cuts in the transportation program’s budget?
“For the past two years, we’ve seen a significant decrease - 21 percent - in state funds, yet our expenses continue to rise. It is impossible to sustain all current services and programs without some sort of adjustments,” Looney said.
“The school system is living off of savings right now. If additional proration comes - and it is very likely - we will be in a position where we have to borrow money to make payroll. It’s like using a charge card to buy groceries.”
Looney said the system was currently dipping into fleet renewal money to pay for fuel and other expenses.
If routes are eliminated, Looney said the Reduction in Force (RIF) Policy would be invoked and “several variables would determine who goes first” in terms of driver layoffs.
Looney made the recommendation the board approve a further study into implementing Option B.
Several board members expressed their concerns.
“I think we need a complete plan to include locations for the hubs and arrangements for security, oversight and supervision. And I would prefer a site that would provide coverage in inclement weather,” said BOE president Joe Lisenby.
While the board president said he agreed with board member Billy Jones’ comment that he would prefer to make no changes, he added he thought the hub concept is an idea that could work.
“We are operating in a severe deficit in the transportation department and in the whole system. We have to make some cuts to make something we can live with,” Lisenby said.
Board member Linda Hamilton expressed her concern for the wellbeing of the “little bitty kids.”
“We must take a good look at this. I am uncomfortable without having a comprehensive plan that looks at the impact on families - the human cost in this,” she said.
A proposal was made to study the possible impact of the hub system’s implementation and have a report ready by Dec. 10, the date set for a special called meeting of the board.
Lisenby, Jones, and Terry Williams voted to approve the
study; Hamilton voted against it. Board member Johnny Lee was unable to attend Thursday night’s meeting.
If the hub system is approved by the board in December, it will go into effect January 2010.
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Comments
Posted by givemeabreak (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 2:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Again I must say ... Looney is screwing us up and leaving. All this money he WASTED on that new elementary school in greenville, and now he wants to cut the bus routes. But to sweeten the pot, he wont be here to handle the outrage this will cause. Please board members keep in mind the HARD WORKING people, who HAVE to work just to keep thier head above water. And now you want to make it harder on us by making a bus stop. This is a BAD idea! I do believe this will cause more harm than good. If the budget was so bad and we have to spend the savings, then why all the upgrades and new school etc etc? Wouldnt it have been cheaper to fix what was there?....................
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 21, 2009 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
AS I understand it: The schools have been smacked by proration. I can say with some confidence that the goodly majority of folks that do live within that two mile radius have cars, and can drop the kids off. I myself do not. Which is why, when I have my girls, they ride the bus. I have a suggestion myself because the two mile radius thing sounds like it would be more feasible and workable. Bearing in mind the "itty bittys". The PTA/PTO/ Butler county education whatever it's called should get together and work out a schedule. Call it walk pooling. Appointed parents take X day, get the neighborhood kids together, and hoof it. I'm down with that, and would gladly volunteer. A brisk walk in the morning does anyone some good. This could kill two birds with one stone as Alabama ranks as one of the most unhealthiest states to boot! This was something I'd suggested a few years ago and was laughed at, again, because the folks I spoke with... well let's just say their opinion of what parents are willing to do wasn't all that great. I begged to differ.
When you're in charge of such things as a school system you've got to play triage. Where would cuts hurt the least. The goal of the educational system is in the title of it, education. While the goal is ideally achieved through mutual cooperation of parent/student/teacher, more often than not this isn't the reality. I feel the parents CAN step up and get involved. If so many are afraid of their government and/or the powers that be; then perhaps its' time leaders rise from the ranks of the power-might....IE we the People, and show 'em how it's done! But then again I could be wrong.
Posted by riverrin (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I went to the bus stop. It didn't hurt me. Buses aren't taxis, there's nothing wrong with a bus stop if it saves us money.
Posted by WhoaDaddy (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 10:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great comments INI an riverrin but good luck getting that past the tomb to the womb crowd. You can read off the budget or show them pretty charts or whatever and you cant make the dumb masses understand. I think Lisenby should actually withdraw all the systems cash and bring it and all the transportation bills to the next meeting and let everyone take turns seeing if they can make $1 pay for a $2 bus route. He can start with that goon Linda Hamilton. Maybe just maybe this will happen and maybe just maybe some of these children will have to get a little cold on cold days and a little wet on wet days and find out that they will indeed still be alive and kicking. What a glorious day it would be when they turn out tougher and more able to take care of themselves than their sorry parents.
Posted by riverrin (anonymous) on November 22, 2009 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
AMEN !!!! WhoaDaddy.
Posted by givemeabreak (anonymous) on November 22, 2009 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok let me see if I read that comment right... you think its ok for the kids to get a little cold and a little wet because it would make them tougher in the long run? Ok what about that little cold that makes them miss school because if you have a cough they send you home. Therefore the parent has to miss work to stay home and take the kid to the dr possibly. Is the county going to pay for some kind of shelter for these kids to stand under while they wait on these buses? Option A sounds more workable then B. Who all is going to be effected by A vs. B? I understand that with any option there will be cuts, and I know that someone will not be happy... But I just dont see how our kids getting a little cold or a little wet is the best option to take!
Posted by Ramsey (anonymous) on November 22, 2009 at 5:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@givemeabrreak
You can not spend capital outlay money on transportation.
What exactly would you have liked for Dr. Looney to do that might have prevented this situation? He is not the one who caused a down-turn in the economy which has resulted in fewer local tax dollars and smaller state allocations. He is not the one who declared proration, that was our governor, and whether he remained in Butler County or not, the 2009-2010 budget has already been prorated. Proration will probably be increased above the 7 1/2 percent before this school year is over. The Butler County Board must do something to fix the transportation budget and it means that changes are going to have to take place!
Posted by givemeabreak (anonymous) on November 22, 2009 at 10:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok as I said... I know with any option there will be cuts. I understand the budget isnt there. I am just saying option A is more workable than B. All 3 schools are in town, so a 2 mile radius is understandable. I understand there are people with small children and it will make it a little more difficult. But on the same hand, the small child isnt home alone, so that means someone is there that can take them to school. However, option B is for the rural families. I think option B will be a huge problem. Several people I know personally has already checked into home schooling because they cant afford more cuts at the school. They already pay for all the supplies, fees for certain classes.. etc etc.. But like I said I know there is cuts, and I know the money isnt there. Also according to the article, option A will save more money anyway... so why opt for B then? THATS ALL I AM ASKING...
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 22, 2009 at 11:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Either way parents are going to have to get outta their PJs. lol
Posted by SHS84 (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 5:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This will really stir up the southern part of the county. Did you know that there is alot more talk now than ever about closing McKenzie school. The people of McKenzie better start getting more involved with these BOE meetings. As bad as it's gonna get in the next few months, nothing the BOE does will surprise me. Bus routes and bus drivers are not the only thing being considered to be cut out.
Posted by 1parent (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 8:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's easy to make decisions that will effect the lives of others when it's at no cost to you :) some people work for a living that have young kids 12 & under and have to be a work before school starts and have to take them to places where there is no transportation and the person wacthing is unable to walk the kids to school. The right thing to do in this is stop spending money were it's not need like greaseing pockets but everyone is looking out for self instead of the kids, kids go missing everyday in this country within blocks from their home for many reasons so I think the bus system is great......
Posted by indiana (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Funding for our schools may be from an inconsistent source, but I fear a rewriting of our state constitution would only allow our politicians to get deficit spending introduced in Alabama. That would be a disaster! Politicians are completely incapable of spending restraint. Just read this article from The New York Times (http://www.cnbc.com/id/34104722) where the White House estimates our interest on the national debt will exceed $700 billion a year in 2019! Some say it may be even higher. That means the interest will be more than “the combined federal budgets this year for education, energy, homeland security and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan”.
Alabama doesn’t need to be another California or federal government. We need politicians that learn spending restraint and how to cut current waste from our governments. If we labor and moan so much over the little cuts (whether local, state or federal), I fear all we are doing is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The way out of the problem is simple – stop spending! We do it in our family budgets, so why don’t our leaders do the same?
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 23, 2009 at 10:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Indiana- I believe you're comparing apples to oranges. There's a thing called "beltway syndrome". What you left out of citing that article is that the accumulation of the debt mentioned was neccessary to "stimulate" an economic rebound. Which is currently happening. Once rates return to where they should be, and businesses continue to borrow to fund growth, AND foreign banks stop hiding money for the uber-rich, we leave Iraq, and Afghanistan, and all the other wastefull useless junk the federal gov't does, that debt will be a thing of the past.
Posted by everyman (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 10:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why not close the McKenzie school? Send those kids up the road. I think the new school is only 6 miles door to door from the McKenzie school. Why on earth do we have that new facility and throw money down the drain to renovate an aging school that has unfair per capita spending? Think of the money saved by combining administration. No need for more secretaries, more principals. What are the benefits? More students means more opportunities for electives. More students have access to band and choral programs.
But, of course, we'll hear all about how that school is the life of the community, how Looney screwed the locals by changing another school's name to Butler County Magnet...so long to inept system leadership, but as long as we have this board, we'll continue to have any self-promoter who could sell ice to an Eskimo.
And the constitution of Alabama is archaic and needs to be thrown in the trash. Start from scratch and fund schools via property since property tax revenue fluctuates less than sales tax. But this state has always---especially since the constitution of 1901 was written---been run by the big mules: Alabama Power, oil, farming (ALFA) and big timber.
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 24, 2009 at 12:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That or PASS A LOTTERY
Posted by indiana (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 12:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good points Rob. A robust economy will push those “doomsday” dates back and eliminating wasteful spending would help, but I don’t have the faith in our government that you have. When I heard of how we would pay for health care reform by cutting wasteful spending, my first question was what have you been waiting for? Then, why haven’t you done that already? Was it okay to waste taxpayer money until now?
The point I was trying to make is that governments, be they local, state or federal, will spend every penny taken in and still ask for more. If they are given a way to deficit spend, they will spend with no thought for the future. Take the “stimulus” money as an example: 6 months after the package passed, only about 12% had been spent with 23% due to be spent in fiscal year 2009. About 26% of it will be spent after 2010, which is when many economists have predicted the recession will have ended. Why go further into debt when it will not be needed for what politicians claimed it was for? The answer is that the opportunity for more money was there and politicians took it. Both parties are guilty.
I also don’t share your optimism because of Social Security and Medicare. Those baby boomers are now at retirement age, living longer than ever and will cause an explosion of spending in those programs. If Social Security goes on without change, it will turn into the biggest Ponzi scheme in the history of the world. It will make Bernie Madoff will look like a lightweight!
In Butler County, we need to do what’s necessary to stay solvent and raising taxes is not the answer. State and federal money has been inconsistent in the past and will probably be worse in the future. Cut costs in the bad times, keep cost down during good economic years and have savings to get us through the lean years, just like the savings we had this time. It’s simple and it works.
Posted by WhoaDaddy (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 1 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No cost to others?????? Some people have to be at work before school starts???? Excuse me 1parent I think youre confusing the b.... that is everyday life with an actual problem yes that is a problem you can deal with it or just give up and lay down and wait for the angels to come whatever you want to do. You are a prime example of what our problem is. By the way none of this is at NO cost to any of us.
givemeabreak thats great that some people you know are taking responsibility the only problem is that they still have to pay for school and all kinds of free crap for all the other kids too.
I know I talked about the free and reduced lunches that some parents are STEALING out of our pockets but that crap just burns me up maybe more than any of the other legalized stealing going on. I guess cause its kind of a basic of life theres nothing more symbolic of theft than making your child eat bologna instead of deli meat next to a kid whos getting his bread and water out of your checkbook. And remember that its the parents not the kids who are stealing by the way.
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 24, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
While economics is not my strong suit I believe I can answer, basically, youre questions Indiana. The question of why spend when it's not needed. On the surface this makes sense. WHat you've got to bear in mind is that once the economy recovers, so too will the measures enacted by the Fed. Meaning interest rates etc etc will go back up. To C.Y.A. the money was spread out for the unforeseen difficulties that would no doubt arise then. As R.E. Lee said, (paraphrasing) an unalterablel plan is a bad one.
As stated before relying strictly on a sales tax doesn't take into account ecnomic downturns. This past year is a prime example. When sales tax revenues go down, because people don't spend money like they would if a recession weren't here, the State Legislature and Executive have limited choices. They HAVE to go by the constitution, which dictates education funds are first to be cut. As a result Alabama lacks incredibly, and CONSISTENTLY ranks one of the lowest states in all things education except number of students at/ below the poverty level.
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 24, 2009 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
good points Whoa.
Posted by BF2C1 (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Haven't we learned any thing from the children's tale 'The Grasshopper and the Ants'? Apparently not.
Posted by indiana (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 2:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BF2C1, I almost used that fable in my last post! Why do we teach simple and beautiful concepts to our little kids and then completely ignore them as adults, especially our educators and politicians? Aesop’s Fables have endured for centuries because they work when followed and foreshadow what will happen when we make bad choices.
Rob, the problem that I have with the Stimulus Plan is that it grows government, not the private sector where growth and jobs are needed for increased tax revenue. And most of it goes for new programs, not for sustaining current operations like our schools. Then, worst of all, it does this by borrowing money and increasing our debt. This also has the negative effect of pulling money out of the banking system that would normally be loaned for business capital. Very few people talk about or understand how negatively that impacts our economy.
And amount of money spent per student isn’t directly proportional to the education received. Way too much money is thrown into education that pays for things that never reach the students. Why don’t we cut most of the administration at the top, including federal, state and local levels? The teachers that teach our kids are the single most important part of the education system, if an education is the real goal. That should be the focus. If it were, education spending would go down and the education of our children would go up.
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 24, 2009 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How does it grow money? I mean specifically. The federal government borrowed and has/is/ and will send it to a variety of projects programs etc. It didn't create any. You want to talk about a waste try the Dept. of Homeland security. lol THAT is a money pit. If it were spent on ACTUALLY protecting the homeland that'd be another story, not creating the illusion of security. I'd addressed teh deficit spending already so I won't beat that horse.
I'd also beg to differ about your claims abotu spending on education. Of course there's waste, as there is anywhere, but there is a DIRECT link between spending and education. The states that spend more have fewer drop-outs, higher grad rates, and higher percentage of college educated folks. Those same states also tend to have better paying jobs, higher standards of living, less crime, etc etc all teh way down the line. I believe Alabama has NEVER just "thrown" money at education. Education in this state seems to be the forgotten step-child, which is ironic because it directly affects literally everything that comes thereafter. If we actually funded education, and made it a priority this state would be a lot better off.
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on November 24, 2009 at 9:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Edit that first sentence that made absoLUTELY zero sense. lol How does it grow government it should read.
Posted by justsaying1987 (anonymous) on November 25, 2009 at 3:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'M WITH ROB!!! Well said!
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