All eyes on Mt. Prospect school board as it studies bus outsourcing
As the District 57 school board examines its transportation system, parents and residents are paying close attention.
"Our community has been told that outsourcing is evil," said board member Michael Withey. "Parents want to be heard on this issue - and on the front end, not the back end. I'm telling you if we don't include them, we're in big trouble."
Ruth Newby of TransPar Group talked to Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 board members on Thursday. TransPar will conduct an audit of the district's bus system and report back to the board on May 20.
Newby's company will begin work next week. Two auditors will look at what the district spends on transportation and interview bus drivers and principals, Newby said.
District 57 will spend about $12,500 on the evaluation. If the board votes to outsource District 57's transportation for the 2010-11 year, the vote would come before the end of this school year.
Outsourcing could save the district more than $160,000, but it may also force changes in some schools' start and end times, Superintendent Elaine Aumiller said at a board meeting earlier this month.
However, the school board's decision "shouldn't be about money," said board member Sann Knipple on Thursday.
"We've been told that in-house is better than outsourcing, and I believed that until this one incident blew up in our faces recently," Knipple said. "It's not about money. We have to get our kids to school safely"
Betty Burden, a former District 57 bus driver, was arrested on March 9 and charged with aggravated driving under the influence after she drove eight routes. Two weeks after her arrest, the school board fired both Burden and her boss, Transportation Director Vince Ramirez, who allowed Burden to drive despite two different co-workers telling him and they were concerned about Burden's drinking.
The school board later appointed Bill Willetts as the interim transportation coordinator.
Willetts also has worked for Palatine Elementary District 15.
Burden is free on bond, and her next court date is Thursday, April 22.