Reporter’s notebook: CD School Board, 07.13.09

* The meeting room was packed Monday night with mainly school bus drivers who showed up to lobby against the proposed outsourcing of the district’s transportation department. The issue only came up during a public comment period when five people spoke against outsourcing. CLICK HERE for comments made by Donna Ricupero, president of the bus drivers’ association (PDF file).

The school board has not publicly discussed the transportation outsourcing issue to date.

Karen McConnell, district director of business affairs, recently told The Patriot-News that district officials advertised for proposals for student transportation services because they are "looking for cost savings and a way to keep real estate taxes as low as possible."

* Prior to the above-mentioned public comment period, school board president Kathy Stone broke her gavel trying to quiet the room when the crowd objected to each presenter getting less than two minutes to speak – a board policy limits public comments to a total of 15 minutes. Board member Justin McShane came to the rescue by making a motion to give each person three minutes. The motion passed 6-2; Stone and A.J. Sallusti cast no votes.

* District business manager McConnell told the board that the district’s budget gap for the fiscal year that ended June 30 is about $3 million. The district’s surplus funds will be used to make up the shortage.

Also, she expressed concern about the state budget impasse that leaves the amount of state money the district will receive up in the air.

Board member McShane urged the public to e-mail state legislators to put pressure on them to not cut education funding. “We need the state revenue so our kids get the education they deserve,” he said.

* The board is considering a redistricting project to even out the enrollment at elementary schools. The consultant who was did the last redistricting study made a presentation to the board. At least one more consultant will do a presentation prior to the board discussing the scope of the project.

* As reported in another post, the board hired a new superintendent.
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Gazette coverage of CD schools is sponsored by EFMR Monitoring Group.