Tempers flared during the recent school board meeting at Clarion-Limestone High School, with many residents upset over failed transportation contract negotiations that prompted the school board to move forward in another direction-a move that many feel leaves the long-running C-L bus drivers in the dust.
With the current contract expiring June 30, contractors, residents and even teachers filled the auditorium for the June 13 meeting, many there to show their support for the drivers, while others using the opportunity to voice their overall disdain with the district, fueled by online rumors which President Nathaniel Parker immediately addressed,
“I’m personally aware of a lot of things being spewed on Facebook that are flatly not true, so we’re going to try to get as thorough as we can.”
The time was then given to board member Chris Boozer who went into detail with the timeline of events leading up to the negotiation meetings. Three meetings were held with the contractors, attended by Boozer, Weible and Parker, respectively.
“Then in April and May, our administration met with the contractors to review the routes developed (for 1-tier busing) and opened for a question and answer with the contractors. A lot of time and discussion was held but a complete agreement was never reached.” Boozer said, adding,
“As Nathaniel stated there are many rumors flying around but as everyone knows, not everything on the internet is true.
Upon consultation with our solicitor, we were advised to proceed with the RFP process. We are not excluding anyone nor have we ruled anyone out. All contractors are encouraged to apply. We’re at the time of the year when we need to get this resolved. So this RFP process will set a hard deadline to achieve this.”
Parker added, “There was a lot of discussion back and forth but I do agree there was never any proposal given by us or them saying that, yeah we like it,’ or that it was something we both agreed would work for our taxpayers. That was never achieved. Now we’re down the wire and we can’t keep kicking the can down the road. We need an answer, and the RFP will give us that but it also protects the district legally.”
A Request for Proposal (RFP) is an open solicitation for bids in which any qualified contractor can apply. Superintendent Weible said that based on the advice of the solicitor, the RFP would be the correct way to proceed.
“The RFP has been designed in a way to be very transparent. It will have timeframes to be handed in and parameters for busing and for our students to be transported back and forth for the next school year.” Weible said.
Parker also stated that by the third meeting he fully expected an agreement would have been reached, saying, “Just to summarize for everyone, you don’t have an agreement if you just say yeah I like seven out of the eight things you say, but I don’t like the eighth.’ That’s not an agreement.”
In response to the district moving forward with the RFP process, contractor and full-time driver with Rossey Busing, Peggy Strohm sent an email to Boozer, Parker and Weible, that was included with the agenda.
Parker said, “The reason why the email was included in the agenda is because of the statements made in it that it was an acceptance by the contractors on the proposal,” but Parker further stated that the email stated the contractors reluctantly agreed to the bus rates, which the board perceived as not an actual agreement.
Parker added, “Our four contractors negotiated this agreement, they did not want to talk separately with us. They spoke as a group and we’re all present at all meetings.”
When Strohm took to the microphone to speak, she read her email verbatim and explained that the contractors agreed on the proposal, though not “100-percent happy with it,” they “would make it work,” and said what they were asking for was more clarification regarding the routes. Strohm said,
In addition to Strohm’s comments, several other C-L residents took to the mic, many of whom have personal connection with the drivers, to voice their concerns with the districts move.
Margaret Brocious, representing family-owned contractor Mauthe Busing, said, “In the end, we were asking for a five-year contract. We had given you guys what we were wanting. We met at three-years and I appreciate that. But when we got (the latest proposal), we accepted it. I was sitting there with my Mom and Dad when we did. My Dad is still driving at 70-years old because we’re just trying to keep it going. Then I get a call from (Weible)-it threw me for a loop, because I was told then we didn’t have a contract. That’s a hard pill to swallow.”
Brocious then went on to explain how her Grandfather took over the busing business and how it was passed on to her parents over the years, recalling a memory about helping to clean the buses when she was a little girl, adding,
“It just feels like a real kick when you’ve been at it for so many years.”
Limestone Township resident Matthew Wimer, while holding back tears, took his turn to speak and asked the board to reconsider moving forward with the RFP, stating that the potential hiring of contractors not within the Clarion-Limestone school district wouldn’t have the same lasting relationships with the children as the current drivers do. Wimer said, “Through the years I’ve come to know many of these contractors, all of whom live in the district. Do you think those contractors (outside of the district) are going to be able to accommodate and take care of our children? I’m imploring you to reconsider.”
Resident Paul Smith asked the board, regarding the routes, “How are (the contractors) supposed to agree to a contract if they don’t know them? It changes. If they have to make an extra 10-mile loop, that changes their expense? So how can they agree to it?”
Clarion Township resident Danielle McCullough went on to thank the current bus drivers for their loyalty to the district, adding, “Let’s talk about loyalty, it seems the board is lacking in that area. I’m not going to stand here and give a speech about the disappointments the board have done, your actions show you don’t have the best interest of our children in mind. I’m going to stand here and ask the students, the parents, grandparents, the taxpayers and anyone who will lives in C-L School District to rally together and start making some changes happen.”
McCullough then explained how she moved her family to the school district because of its reputation for high-standards and proceeded to call the members of the board “bullies” and “cowards.”
An agenda item not to renew the existing transportation contract with the four current contractors was pushed back until the RFP’s are received. Parker then reiterated the board’s position that the current contractors were not being terminated.
“This is not us getting rid of our contractors; this is us setting a deadline as advised by our solicitors. I started every meeting literally telling (the contractors) you are who we want transporting our children. I said that at every meeting. And I mean that.”
Parker added, “We’re being called names and insulted, and we’re trying to get a deal, we’re running a business, effectively, and make sure our kids get transported and we need a contract. We can’t run it on, Don’t worry we’re going to be there.’ It doesn’t work that way. That’s why we need the RFP.”
Weible agreed with Parker’s sentiments,
“I’m trying to do the right thing here, with the boards support, and I assure you I wrote the RFP in such a way that anyone could apply for. But I have to have this ready as soon as possible.
When I contacted the contractors to give them the deadline of noon the next day, there was some conversation back and forth and I listened to that. The email did come in the next day and when I spoke to each contractor individually-so they heard from me personally-one of the contractors admitted to me, that they said to the group, (The board) has given you everything you want and you’re still complaining.’ I’m trying not to drop to the weeds for this, but things were said that was not appropriate. And a second conversation we had, even though (the contractors) said they accepted our proposal, that was literally said to me, I can’t do it for $210 to run a van, when it costs me $216. This is a direct quote said to me when we were still negotiating. This is why I have to move forward with this. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”
Weible concluded, “For me, this is trying to get transportation set up for our kids.”