Big changes to bus routes coming
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
Students who ride the bus in the Ball-Chatham School District may have a new pick-up and drop-
off point when the new school year begins in seven weeks.
At Monday night’s meeting, the board approved a plan from Action Team 53 and Transportation
Director Jim Lovelace to eliminate 173 of the district’s 308 bus stops. The maximum number of stops
is set at 135 for the 2010-11 school year.
The projected impacts include cost savings estimated at $73,000-plus in bus driver salaries
annually, along with mechanical, maintenance and fuel savings to which a dollar value cannot be put
at this point. A major plus with the new transportation plan is that, overall, students will be on the bus
for a shorter period of time.
“It will be unpopular,” admitted Lovelace. “We almost give house to house service now and it’s
unpopular. People think we don’t stop enough now.”
District officials have drawn up the new plan using geographic areas of each subdivision. Stops
will now be made at intersections, if possible. The furthest a child may have to walk to a bus stop
was put at four blocks in a worst-case scenario, though the vast majority may have to walk two or
three blocks at the most, Lovelace said.
Country routes and students who live in what are considered hazardous routes will not be affected,
he added.
And while the board approved passage of the reduced number of bus routes, the issue of how to
pay the bus drivers remains.
“Clearly, if we don’t change that process, there’s no savings,” Lovelace said.
Currently, the district pays most of its bus drivers for three hours of work per day. A new system is
expected to be implemented, following standards established in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
There are 50 subdivisions with 1,299 total students used in the research (excluding students who
live in the country). The Southwinds/Quail Meadows area will see the biggest reduction, with 15
fewer stops (20 to 5), and North Lake Shore/Maple Grove will see their stops reduced from 15 to 4.
Hunting Meadows will have nine fewer stops (14 to 5), as will Piper Glen (14 to 5), while Walnut Park
will go from 13 to 5 stops.
In other news:
•The board approved the FY 2010 budget amendment. The district will close out the fiscal year
with a $542,400 deficit, after projections of a $138,617 surplus last summer. However, over $2.5
million of vouchered but not paid state payments are delinquent to Ball-Chatham, meaning district
officials have been able to cut back in areas to avoid an even larger deficit and bigger issue.
“We were able to bite the bullet in a few areas,” Supt. Bob Gillum stated. “We postponed some
purchases and will wait on some things until there are better economic times.
“We’re not as distraught as some districts,” he continued. “We’d be in much better shape if the
state paid its vouchered bills, as everyone would.”
And Gillum warned of a situation brewing with the Transportation Fund, which is down to a
balance of $150,000. Indications from the State show a potential reduction in Transportation funding
by $85 million overall, or a 30 percent decrease for Ball-Chatham alone. Gillum said he has been told
that Transportation Categoricals will be among the last ones paid.
And that is one of the reasons for the district’s changes to the bus routes, as reported earlier.
“We’ve got a financial situation that dictates it,” Gillum stated. “We’re in jeopardy of our
Transportation Fund going in the red if we don’t take action.”
•In a bit of good news, Gillum said over 40 percent of early tax receipts have been collected,
totalling over $10 million dollars.
•The tennis courts at Glenwood High School will be repaired this summer. The board accepted a
bid of $239,800, which is right at the budgeted amount, from All Weather Courts, Inc.
Facilities Director Dave Murphy explained that a surface called “Premier Court” will be laid on top of
the asphalt on all eight courts. The surface has a 25-year warranty, and there will be a two-year
warranty on all work done this summer.
Murphy said he talked with a coach and professional in Quincy who highly recommended the
surface, which may be a bit spongy the first year but will cure and settle with age. The surface can
also be lifted up and placed back down to repair any asphalt issues.
Without tearing everything up and starting over, the asphalt surface will never be able to be fully
corrected, Murphy added. But then costs would exceed $1 million dollars. Drainage and leveling
issues will be corrected as much as possible this summer, he added.
•The board accepted a bid of $71,260 from Great Western Abatement for asbestos abatement
work needed for the GMS boiler room project.
•Glenwood High School finished in second place for the Central State Eight Conference All-Activity
Award for 2009-10. GHS had 125 points overall, while Springfield High was first with 128. SHG took
third with 118.5. Glenwood finished in first place in seven conference activities: boys swimming,
wrestling, scholastic bowl, baseball, girls soccer, softball and boys track.
•After discussion, the board voted 7-0 to not renew its membership in the National School Board
Association, saving the district $4,425.00.
•The board accepted bids for mechanical and custodial supplies, and also approved the renewal
of property, casualty and worker’s comp insurance and contracts for food service.
•The next regular Board of Education meeting is set for Monday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m.
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
Students who ride the bus in the Ball-Chatham School District may have a new pick-up and drop-
off point when the new school year begins in seven weeks.
At Monday night’s meeting, the board approved a plan from Action Team 53 and Transportation
Director Jim Lovelace to eliminate 173 of the district’s 308 bus stops. The maximum number of stops
is set at 135 for the 2010-11 school year.
The projected impacts include cost savings estimated at $73,000-plus in bus driver salaries
annually, along with mechanical, maintenance and fuel savings to which a dollar value cannot be put
at this point. A major plus with the new transportation plan is that, overall, students will be on the bus
for a shorter period of time.
“It will be unpopular,” admitted Lovelace. “We almost give house to house service now and it’s
unpopular. People think we don’t stop enough now.”
District officials have drawn up the new plan using geographic areas of each subdivision. Stops
will now be made at intersections, if possible. The furthest a child may have to walk to a bus stop
was put at four blocks in a worst-case scenario, though the vast majority may have to walk two or
three blocks at the most, Lovelace said.
Country routes and students who live in what are considered hazardous routes will not be affected,
he added.
And while the board approved passage of the reduced number of bus routes, the issue of how to
pay the bus drivers remains.
“Clearly, if we don’t change that process, there’s no savings,” Lovelace said.
Currently, the district pays most of its bus drivers for three hours of work per day. A new system is
expected to be implemented, following standards established in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
There are 50 subdivisions with 1,299 total students used in the research (excluding students who
live in the country). The Southwinds/Quail Meadows area will see the biggest reduction, with 15
fewer stops (20 to 5), and North Lake Shore/Maple Grove will see their stops reduced from 15 to 4.
Hunting Meadows will have nine fewer stops (14 to 5), as will Piper Glen (14 to 5), while Walnut Park
will go from 13 to 5 stops.
In other news:
•The board approved the FY 2010 budget amendment. The district will close out the fiscal year
with a $542,400 deficit, after projections of a $138,617 surplus last summer. However, over $2.5
million of vouchered but not paid state payments are delinquent to Ball-Chatham, meaning district
officials have been able to cut back in areas to avoid an even larger deficit and bigger issue.
“We were able to bite the bullet in a few areas,” Supt. Bob Gillum stated. “We postponed some
purchases and will wait on some things until there are better economic times.
“We’re not as distraught as some districts,” he continued. “We’d be in much better shape if the
state paid its vouchered bills, as everyone would.”
And Gillum warned of a situation brewing with the Transportation Fund, which is down to a
balance of $150,000. Indications from the State show a potential reduction in Transportation funding
by $85 million overall, or a 30 percent decrease for Ball-Chatham alone. Gillum said he has been told
that Transportation Categoricals will be among the last ones paid.
And that is one of the reasons for the district’s changes to the bus routes, as reported earlier.
“We’ve got a financial situation that dictates it,” Gillum stated. “We’re in jeopardy of our
Transportation Fund going in the red if we don’t take action.”
•In a bit of good news, Gillum said over 40 percent of early tax receipts have been collected,
totalling over $10 million dollars.
•The tennis courts at Glenwood High School will be repaired this summer. The board accepted a
bid of $239,800, which is right at the budgeted amount, from All Weather Courts, Inc.
Facilities Director Dave Murphy explained that a surface called “Premier Court” will be laid on top of
the asphalt on all eight courts. The surface has a 25-year warranty, and there will be a two-year
warranty on all work done this summer.
Murphy said he talked with a coach and professional in Quincy who highly recommended the
surface, which may be a bit spongy the first year but will cure and settle with age. The surface can
also be lifted up and placed back down to repair any asphalt issues.
Without tearing everything up and starting over, the asphalt surface will never be able to be fully
corrected, Murphy added. But then costs would exceed $1 million dollars. Drainage and leveling
issues will be corrected as much as possible this summer, he added.
•The board accepted a bid of $71,260 from Great Western Abatement for asbestos abatement
work needed for the GMS boiler room project.
•Glenwood High School finished in second place for the Central State Eight Conference All-Activity
Award for 2009-10. GHS had 125 points overall, while Springfield High was first with 128. SHG took
third with 118.5. Glenwood finished in first place in seven conference activities: boys swimming,
wrestling, scholastic bowl, baseball, girls soccer, softball and boys track.
•After discussion, the board voted 7-0 to not renew its membership in the National School Board
Association, saving the district $4,425.00.
•The board accepted bids for mechanical and custodial supplies, and also approved the renewal
of property, casualty and worker’s comp insurance and contracts for food service.
•The next regular Board of Education meeting is set for Monday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m.
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: July 1, 2010