NORMAL – As far as members of Normal-based Unit 5 School Board were concerned, an apology, added to assurances to do better on the part of Cincinnati, Ohio-based First Student Bus Co. weren’t enough. At their regular meeting on Sept. 28 held for the second straight meeting in the cafeteria of Normal Community West High School, Board members voted to give First Student a one-month extension to correct problems which have been a headache to parents and administrators since school began in August.
Should no progress in transporting children be achieved by a deadline set by Board members – Nov. 1 – Unit 5 will terminate its contract with First Student voiding it for the 2017-18 school year. First Student would, should the contract be voided, continue as the transportation provider for the remainder of this school year regardless.
An earlier motion to kill the contract now went nowhere among Board members.
At the Board’s last meeting at Normal West two weeks before, Bob Rutkowski, area general manager, and Roger Moore, senior vice president of operations for Cincinnati, Ohio-based First Student Bus Co., formally apologized to Board members and the families affected by the results of what has been a difficult period for students trying to get to and from school, and their parents, for whom frustration has continued to mount as a result of issues that resulted when school began in mid-August At this session, First Student representatives sat and listened as Board members aired their concerns and their disappointment in how they perceive the service has been from First Student since classes began over a month ago.
Board Member Mike Trask told the men he “hasn’t been able to get past Aug. 17.†Aug. 17 was the first day of school for Unit 5 and a day that proved to be the start of difficulties ranging from late buses to being temporarily unable to locate students. Because he is a parent of students in Unit 5, Trask said he’s torn between his “emotional side and his non-emotional side†on the busing issue. “I’m struggling,†Trask told the men. “I’m struggling a lot.â€
He wasn’t alone in wrestling with the issue, as roughly 100 parents sat in the gallery of the meeting, six of whom addressed Board members.
“The thought of kids standing and waiting for buses for 45 minutes concerns me,†Board Member Joseph Cleary told the men. Moore responded by saying First Student would understand if Unit 5 opts not to renew the contract which would have one more school year on it after this year if Board Members decide to keep First Student.
“The negatives weigh heavily on us in terms of your credibility,†Board Member Jim Hayek, Jr. told Rutkowski and Moore. “I’m not hearing anything about customer service in relation to First Student’s communications with parents.â€
Rutkowski said the service shown thus far by First Student “has worn on parents’ tolerance and worn on parents’ patience.â€
Board Member John Puzauskas told the men he wanted to see “sustainable service day in and day out. If we do see that kind of service by the end of October, I would consider not canceling the contract.â€
“We have to see concrete results,†Trask added. “We cannot put our parents through this. I’m willing to go 30 days before considering canceling the contract.â€
Rutkowski admitted First Student has been seeking a replacement for the person who was their permanent site manager, Jim Stoneciper. Stoneciper resigned Aug. 22 as a result of how things developed in the first few days of the new school year.
Cleary told the men he has been struggling with how the last six weeks have gone with First Student’s performance.
During the public comments section of the four-hour meeting, parent David Dennis was one of six parents who addressed Board members, saying Unit 5 needed to go back to a three-tier busing system. “Unit 5 and First Student are failing because you aren’t getting kids to school.â€
Other Actions Approved: In addition to the discussion surrounding the busing issue, Board members unanimously approved a 2016-17 budget, as well as contracts with the members of both Unit Five Education Association, which represents its teachers, and Unit Five Support Professionals Association (UFSPA), the union that represents teaching assistants and office personnel.