GILROY
– School transportation employees say the district’s
belt-tightening will put students at risk.
The district tonight will consider cutting the equivalent of 13
full-time classified positions, including slashing three-fourths of
the bus maintenance staff, by eliminating positions and cutting
hours in order to save more than $1 million. They will also
consider reducing bus routes.
GILROY – School transportation employees say the district’s belt-tightening will put students at risk.
The district tonight will consider cutting the equivalent of 13 full-time classified positions, including slashing three-fourths of the bus maintenance staff, by eliminating positions and cutting hours in order to save more than $1 million. They will also consider reducing bus routes.
That doesn’t sit well with those affected.
During a budget study session last week, more than 30 bus drivers, mechanics and their union representatives asked district officials and board members to reconsider a plan to slash bus routes – along with driver hours – and reduce the four-person bus maintenance staff down to one.
“One mechanic cannot do the work of all the mechanics we have now,” said Elias Aptkinson, Gilroy Unified School District’s lead mechanic.
GUSD has 40 buses in its fleet.
Aptkinson’s position is slated to be eliminated. He has the option of stepping down and working for lower pay or taking early retirement, but neither option is very appealing, he said.
“I’m concerned for the safety of the children,” Mechanic Stuart Halts said. “If a mechanic is rushing through these things real fast, mistakes are going to be made.”
Each school bus must be inspected once every 3,000 miles, or about every month, he said.
“If I were a parent, I wouldn’t want my children riding in a bus that’s taken care of by one person who’s looking after 40 vehicles,” Aptkinson said.
Superintendent Edwin Diaz said the final decision will not compromise safety.
“We are looking at other options for servicing our bus fleet and what we’ve decided to do is to continue our recommendation (to cut staff) but sit down with transportation staff and investigate that issue a little further,” he said.
The district could expand its use of an outside maintenance service.
“That comes within the scope of bargaining, so we’ve committed to sit down and talk with the union,” Diaz said.
The school board is holding a study session tonight to again discuss proposed budget changes.
GUSD must submit its second budget adjustment for the year Friday, outlining how it will save $2.12 million in addition to the more than $1 million already cut this year.
The Budget Advisory Committee began trimming in January with everything on the table.
One of those items identified as an option and now moved up as a proposal is eliminating busing students who attend schools outside their neighborhood to save $315,000.
“We will no longer be busing from everywhere to everywhere,” Transportation Supervisor Darren Salo said.
Instead of stopping at nearly every school, each bus will travel to and from one school only. The hours saved – more than 30 per day – are the equivalent of 5.5 full-time employees.
“Almost everyone in this room is going to be affected to add up to that 5.5,” Trustee Jim Rogers said during last week’s study session.
Currently, only 346 students are being bused from outside their attendance area, Salo said, although there are 1,650 who actually attend school in another neighborhood.
While transportation employees were aware that their routes and hours would eventually be reduced, the change may force students out of their current school, Rogers said. In starting neighborhood schools two years ago, the district agreed to grandfather the requirement in. He said GUSD should continue to offer busing to students who want to remain at their current school, even those outside their area.
Assistant Superintendent Steve Brinkman said there was no stipulation that ensured students would continue to be bused. He noted other benefits to shorter bus routes.
“That has got to help somewhat in attendance and education, as well,” Brinkman said. “The kids will be able to sleep more. … We’re picking up some kids really early in the morning.”
During last Thursday’s board meeting Rita Delgado, president of Gilroy’s California School Employees Association chapter, said she was “shocked” to learn that three mechanics would be eliminated. Delgado represented transportation and all classified employees in the budget committee. She said she was not included in the transportation subcommittee, although she was a member.
“I was never asked to be involved in the subcommittee,” she said. “It was never clearly stated to me, prior to (the March 11) meeting, when the recommendations were all printed in black and white.”
After being excused from the first subcommittee meeting because reductions were not directly discussed, Brinkman said, Delgado never asked to attend the others.
There were nine general budget committee meetings in which each subcommittee gave a report and the transportation cuts were announced March 4. Delgado should have been aware of those proposals if she was in attendance, Brinkman said.
“There was no attempt to exclude (Delgado),” he said.
Gwendolyn Miller, Gilroy’s CSEA labor representative, asked the district to reconsider the cutbacks and seek alternative solutions from the transportation employees.
“There are discussions ongoing,” Brinkman said. “The main thing is that we have to present a balanced second interim (budget) to the county.
“It could be that savings are added or deleted between now and the final budget adoption – and there will be.”
GUSD is also proposing to lay off two part-time school nurses, a psychologist, counselor and the After-School Program facilitator – the equivalent of 4.4 full-time employees – to save another $623,000.
Other proposals include:
Bringing an occupational therapist on staff rather than contracting outside the district to save $140,000.
Increasing the price of meals by about 25 cents to raise $100,000.
A budget study session will be held at 7:30 p.m. today in the district office, 7810 Arroyo Circle.
