PREVIEW: CD School Board meeting

The Central Dauphin School Board could be on the verge of hiring an outside firm – Illinois-based Durham School Services – to provide student transportation services starting this school year. A vote on the proposal is expected during tonight’s meeting at CD East High School.

The district plans to spend $6.7 million this school year on its in-house transportation operation. Switching to the proposed outsourcing setup could save the district millions of dollars over the next five years.

There are at least three reasons for taxpayers to keep tabs on this issue:

* Tonight's meeting is the first time the issue will be discussed during a public forum, yet school administrators are calling for an on-the-spot decision.

* The association that represents bus drivers has threatened to take legal action against the district if outsourcing is approved – and lawsuits cost taxpayers money.

* It seems a bit late to overhaul student transportation – school buses will roll in only three weeks for the first day of school.

CLICK HERE for more about tonight's vote on hiring a bus firm from The Patriot-News.
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Related info:

CLICK HERE for a meeting advisory issued by Eric Epstein, who was recently hired as the Central Dauphin Bus Drivers Association business agent.

CLICK HERE for a statement on issued by Epstein last month on the proposed transportation outsourcing. (This is an interesting
read. -B²)

Widely known political activist Gene Stilp has signed up to weigh in on the busing issue during the meeting. He is the guy who has used blow-up pink pigs to protest state lawmakers’ pay raises, and he organized the effort to erect a replica of the Statue of Liberty on the Susquehanna River near Dauphin.