Goodrich – On Aug. 16, the board of education will decide whether to join the Genesee Intermediate School District in funding a skill center bus consortium.
Currently, the district pays approximately $30,000 per year for fuel, buses, maintenance, and drivers to transport Goodrich students to the county’s skill center, said Goodrich superintendent Kim Hart.
Joining the consortium would cost the Goodrich district $17,472, a savings of more than $12,000, said Hart in an informational announcement at the board’s July 26 meeting.
Fearing a loss of jobs or hours, local bus drivers have protested joining the consortium.
Rose Stratton, who’s been employed by the district since 1997, voiced concern at the school board’s July 12 meeting that local skill center students will miss lunch or run late to class if the district joins the consortium.
Karen Lovell, a driver for four years, brainstormed with other drivers regarding ways to reduce costs without joining the consortium. Ideas included drivers taking on more duties such as refueling and cleaning the buses.
‘If you take (skill center) runs away, probably two of the full-time drivers will be demoted to subs, and that’s not good,? said Lovell.
‘I can assure you no bus driver is going to lose their job over this if I have anything to do with that, and I’m one-quarter of the decision,? said board president Michael Thorp in reponse to the July 12 comments.
The board will vote on the issue at its next meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 16 in the district’s community room, located in the west wing of Goodrich High School at 8029 S. Gale Road.