Schools

D46 Board Talks Future Bussing Needs

Transportation issues were the main point of discussion at the Feb. 15 board meeting, along with a part-time employee's contract renewal and traffic safety issues at Park School.

Grayslake District 46 School Board members continued a discussion about future bussing needs at the Feb. 15 board meeting, voting to pay a transportation management services company $5,000 for its review, insight and recommendations.

In a presentation, Michael Linder, the district’s facilities engineering consultant, said Durham School Services, which provides the district’s busses, has offered to extend its contract and freeze current rates for the first year. The second year of the contract would be limited to a rate increase of 2 percent.

The district could seek new bids, though according to Linder, they would be 3 percent higher than the district’s current and future increases pegged at 3 percent per year.

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The major elements the district will need to keep in mind when reviewing transportation needs, said Linder, are bus costs per day, route efficiency, special education demands, fuel costs and St. Gilbert’s bussing needs. It costs D46 about $90,000 per year to bus St. Gilbert students using four buses.

The board also plans to review bus routes that have been classified by the state as hazardous, meaning students cannot legally walk and must be bussed, even if they are within a mile of their school.

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Linder said between 50 and 60 percent of bussed students live within a mile of their school, but cannot walk because of the hazardous route classification.

There are several hazardous routes, said Linder, which could be reclassified, such as Atkinson Road, where a new traffic light has been installed between Washington Street and Brae Loch Road.

If there was a crossing guard stationed at the train tracks on downtown Center Street, that bus route might also be reclassified from a hazardous route. Unfortunately for Prairieview School, there are no sidewalks or crossing guards along busy Route 120, so although many students live within an eighth of a mile, they are not permitted to walk.

Superintendent Ellen Correll said transportation matters will remain on upcoming board agendas for additional discussion.

Contract Debate

In related news, a board discussion of Linder’s upcoming contract renewal got a bit heated.

Linder was once a D46 board member, but he resigned in Nov. 2010 due to scheduling conflicts. He was hired by the board in Feb. 2011 on a part-time basis as a facilities engineering consultant at $75,000 per year.

Board member Shannon Smigielski said she was alarmed to find that prior to that vote, the board discussed only a one-year contract, but actually voted to approve a two-year contract. She suggested those who sat on the board at that time did not read the contract before voting on it, nor did they have an actual copy of it in front of them.

Board member Keith Surroz recalled seeing "variations of the contract," but could not say for certain if they had the final contract in front of them at the time of the original vote.

Voting in favor of Linder’s contract at the Feb. 16, 2011, board meeting were current board members Ray Millington, Keith Surroz and Karen Weinert, along with Colleen Wade, who replaced Linder. Voting against the contract were current board members Michael Carbone and Sue Facklam. Board president at the time Mary Garcia, was absent from that meeting.

Board member Kip Evans said he agreed with Smigielski that it appeared the former board did not read Linder’s original contract before voting.

“I see this as totally negligent,” he said.

Smigielski said the board was lucky that it “worked out this time,” because they could all agree Linder was a valuable asset to the district whose contract should be renewed. However, had the circumstances been different, the board could be finding itself in an awkward position having previously approved the contract for two years.

Evans suggested the district’s attorney should review the matter. Linder protested, stating that before money was spent on attorney fees, the board should ask him if he was even still interested in having his contract renewed.

“If it’s not valid,” said Linder of the 2-year contract, “we’ve got tough negotiations ahead of us.”

Linder added that the district “got him” at a third of his normal salary, as a favor to the district.

“Be as silly as you want to be, but let’s bring it on.”

“My concern is the contract, not you,” said Smigielski.

Park School Safety

In other news, Correll discussed possible ways to improve traffic safety outside Park School following a rollover accident last month. At a previous board meeting, Richard and Sharon Rosenthal expressed concern after Richard’s vehicle carrying three children was struck by a speeding SUV as he was entering the school, located at 400 W. Towline Rd., in Round Lake.

Thankfully, there were no injuries, but the accident was so severe school authorities had to send a letter home to parents explaining what occurred.

The couple asked the board to evaluate what could be done to prevent future accidents at the school entrance and exit.

“There are solutions, but they all cost money,” said Correll.

One suggestion was to place boulders between the road and sidewalk, but it would be a district liability because the property belongs to the Village of Round Lake.

Another option is to install a right-hand turning lane, which would require review by the district’s architect and could be very costly overall.

Yet another suggestion is to hire a traffic cop to be there mornings and afternoons, which would cost about $9,000 per year.

Because safety should be the top priority, said Smigielski, “We owe it to everyone to look at different options.”

Correll assured the matter would continue to be discussed at a future meeting. In the meantime, a sign that alerts motors to their speed will be posted outside the school.


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