7/15/25 Board Work Session - Transportation

001call this uh work session to order uh for Tuesday, July 15th, 2025 at 5:30 at the MH administration building. Mr. Croll, can you call roll please? >> Yes, sir. Mrs. PZ, >> uh present. >> Mrs. Cameron, >> present. >> Mrs. Krimley, >> present. >> Mr. Russell present. Mr. Pearl present. Pledge allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the stand individual. >> Any changes to the agenda? Uh, no presents. Move >> approval of the agenda. >> Okay, >> I'll second. >> Mr. Crow. >> Yes, sir. Mrs. PZ, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cameron, >> yes. >> Mrs. Crumbley, >> yes. >> Mr. Rosco, >> yes. >> Mr. Crowley, yes. >> And with that, on to presentation and discussion. >> Uh, Mr. Mr. President, members of the board, uh today we

002are going to be having a discussion about uh a variety of elements of of transportation, uh our to and from contracts, a little bit about activity contracts, also some information about our discipline matrix. And so, uh starting us off today, um Patty is going to help us. We're going to break this this presentation into a couple of particular separate parts. Our first uh topic of discussion is going to be about um the to and from uh uh services that our contractors provide and then we'll um take a little short break and after that we'll discuss uh the activity um portions that are separate from the two and from contracts. So um I'll turn it over to uh Miss Travis and of the presentation in front of you as well as copies of um some contracts

003and in front. >> Before we go forward, I just want to thank you guys for showing up. so we can this can be discussed and and be able to answer bounce questions off of you to be able to to get more of an understanding for us as a board. Thank you guys for showing showing up. >> Go ahead. I'm sorry. >> Mr. Panda, members of the board, um thank you for having us here today to be able to answer some of the questions that you all um have pertaining to our transportation services. As you can see in the audience, we have Mr. David Sanchez, Willie Sanchez from MMT buses. We also have Brandon and Mrs. Haynes from Hannes Buses joining us. In a little while, I'll be able to turn it over to them to

004kind of have you, you ask questions of them or anything they might want to share. But before I do, I wanted to go through and kind of recap some important information. As you can see in your packet and in the presentation, I'm going over our fleet again. So with Demi public schools, we have two route buses, two of our special education buses that are still currently run by the district. We also have seven activity buses. Um, and we have four spares. Now with Mnt, we have 31 route buses and they do have, correct me if I'm wrong, you had three, now you have four spares. That's correct. >> Four. We'll get them >> when we get the new ones. And then with Hannes, we have 16 route buses. and you have le spares as well.

005>> Yes. >> And so that kind of just recaps the fleet to kind of give you a better idea of what we're talking about. Um I also went ahead and we talked about this the last time but I went ahead and included a slide to kind of show that district enrollment. Now this is 120th day that was reported in February. Okay. So we have 2,819 bus riders at that time. Of those 184 are exceptional student writers. Local writers are broken down to 2,36 and then students coming from the port of entry for a total of 783. And as you can see that breakdown there also goes um 324 to Columbus and then the remainder 459 coming into town to our secondary schools 6th through 12th grade. Okay. The other thing I want to recap to

006kind of give you an idea of the mileage, we are a very rural community and our longest routes being port of entry. And so this is the breakdown between both Hannes and Mnt. Mr. Hannes has eight buses going south. Mnt has a total of seven buses. Of those 15 buses, two of them are students at DISIS and then four of them are Red Mountain um buses and then the remainder of nine at Deming High School. Okay. So now this is where um as we go into negotiations every year um what I've done since I've been with the district is I've requested it seems like the district to come together to assist especially because we are newer to the department and we want to be able to cover as much as we can with the negotiations.

007And so our team as I mentioned the last time consists of our CFO, our superintendent at the time, our deputy superintendent and then this last year it was both the assistant director um myself and one of the clerical staff members along with the contractors together. And so what we do is when we come together, this will show you a projection of a total of Let me bring up the spreadsheet instead because it's a little bit easier to maneuver. Charles, did it does it transfer over? I got my spreadsheet now to kind of make it easier to read. You also have that in your packet as a separate sheet towards the very back. There we go. Now, this is where you can see at the very top, what's highlighted in yellow is the state allocation for

008the past three years. It has the total allocation with the contract allocation and then the rental fees. Um, Mr. Adam is going to go ahead and help me kind of explain those in a little bit more detail in a little bit, but then I go down and break down the Mnt portion and the Hannes portion. And so, one of the things that we're finding out as we've gone through this process, this will be my second time. Um, we're trying to have this spreadsheet match the contract template because it is a requirement through PED that we separate the fuel costs. And so one of the things we found was that when we would come together for a negotiation, we had fuel OM and what we call operation maintenance and fuel all together when we're negoti negotiating

009along with salaries. And so that's where we go back and forth where they requested 10%, we went for four, and then we settled for six. Um, and so this is where you'll see the calculations. Now, Mr. aduct has helps has helped a lot with that and can explain the percentages a little bit better. Um, I'll turn it over to him to talk about the current contract and the comparison between it. >> And Joe, before you start, let me point out to the board, uh, as Miss Patty was referring, we're trying to match this spreadsheet to, uh, the, um, appendex that is in the fleet service contract. So, if you turn uh to indendex B in each of your packets, you can see that it's broken down by fuel, operation, maintenance, and salary and benefits, and

010of course, the rental fees. So, what Joe what Mr. Rahawk is trying to do is um and as we go into next year, make sure that we're we're talking about each of these things individually. So again, you find that at index B in each of your packets. Um that will be aligning to some of the terminology that Joe will be will be um uh talking about. Go ahead, Joe. >> Okay. So, uh, president, members of the board, um, just to give you some some of the numbers, if you look back up to the top in the yellow area, uh, where Patty was talking about our allocations, uh, notice there in the contract allocations, the percentage all the way to the U to the right hand side there is 104%. That's that's our allocation increase for

011the bus contractors. uh uh for the allocation if I say if I should say that's where we started that was the reason why we talked about 4% to begin with >> is because the allocation went up by 4%. So that was where we said, well, let's just let's just put it in at that. >> And Joe, you're say you're referring to the allocation from the public education department, >> correct? Went up 4%. >> Right. This is from the education department. We did not uh talk about or do any negotiations on the rental fees because the rental fees is a pass through from PED through to the contractors depending upon buses that they need to replace. And so they're on, I believe it's a 12-year cycle for replacing buses. So as a bus ends up at

012end of life, then Ped uh puts in a rental fee, if you will, and then that allows the bus contractors then to purchase those. I will talk about that a little bit more here in just a just a minute to show you an example of of that. So going down and just going to look at the the Mnt at um at first. Notice there where it says salaries and benefits in column H. That is a 6% increase. That's what we had talked about negotiation back and forth and it come in on 6% for salaries and benefits. The other piece to that that we talked about the 6% is down where it says fuel upper and maintenance per mile. That was an increase of 6%. That went from $189 per mile to to $2 a mile.

013Again, a 6% increase. If you look at total dollars under either operation, maintenance, or fuel, it doesn't come out to that 6%. Part of the reason for that is a different calculation for how fuel is put on the contract for this year versus prior years. Okay. What happened this year to put the fuel piece is the transportation department said, "Okay, a bus usually gets average 8 miles per gallon. Fuel around here is about 339 at this point. So, we're going to that's how it was calculated. how many miles are they doing versus that um that rate? Okay, but it still comes back down to the $2 per mile for all three of those things, fuel, population, and maintenance. So, you have to look at it more on a on the total basis. Now, the other

014thing that comes into play, if you look here, you you look up at at Mnt and say, "Well, wait a minute, that only says 4%." In total contract. The difference there is the mileage. If you'll notice down um their miles per day as reported to us on the on that 12th day was 1835 miles. We multiply that out times the 178 days that they transport students. That comes out to the 3 30 326,630 miles for the year. And notice that that is a slight reduction. So even though prices kind of went up by 6% with a little bit of reduction in miles, that's what's causing that to look a little different. To look at something a little bit different, if we look at Hannes, their number looks like it's a little bit more than 6%.

015But again, we had 6% on salaries and benefits. We had 6% on the bottom line there of the the $2 per mile, but their mileage went up by a few per day. So, it went from 1234 to 1247 per day. Again, you multiply that out and that's the reason why it looks as if it's just a slight increase or slight more of an increase. Any questions on that? >> Let me pro some clarifying points while the board members are thinking of questions. So one I think it's important for the board to know um the 120th day reporting uh it's a standard reporting uh by the state. One question that you know um often comes uh with hey I've heard this discussion how sometimes we dip into operational funds right to cover some of these contracts

016and that has to do that the ped literally on the on on the 120th day uh by statute asks the contractors to report a physical count of the kids riding. So it's not kids enrolled and eligible to ride uh it's kids that on that day rode the bus. So often times on the 120th day, you'll see ride the bus today. You know, you know, when of this, when of that, it's because they want as many kids to ride that day as possible. So, one question I did not um ask Patty to prepare, but if you're ever wondering why sometimes there's a shortfall between um uh what the allocation from the PET is and what we're paying out, some has to do with less kids. Not all of our eligible kids are are riding. So, off

017the top of your head, Patty, this is like a quiz. Do you know um you know we have five I don't know how many eligible writers that we have in the district and then on the count day did 60% of them ride did >> top of my head >> I know the quiz >> sure >> and we talked about two things number one try to increase wrership at the beginning of the year which is something that we started last year we had actually the drivers said hey we want to be part of the open house at the school sites and so we started having booths at the school sites and had our transportation staff along with the bus um drivers. Um and so then we would have like hey sign up for transportation see if

018your child qualifies and you know things like that kind of a campaign to increase writership. That's one. Number two that in talking to Joe and just again coming up with new ideas, we're going to do exactly what um Superintendent Wamoose talked about just now is on those days at the very beginning of the year pedal give us the dates December and in February and so we'll start putting those flyers out right before and we'll start blasting social media uh maybe getting messages to the schools if you ride this day you know trying just to increase the wrership not only overall all but on those two specific days because that in turn is going to increase our allocation. >> And so I just wanted to point that out as you're asking questions because inevitably uh I

019know Mr. Ato and and Mr. O before probably coming to say hey we're having to pay this much out of operational to cover our to and from contracts. Um that is sometimes a factor of us not having the uh you know um uh getting the full allocation from the state because of just the writership. And that's a PED rule, not a DPS rule or a or a or a transportation contract rule. So I just >> want example. So the dates that were selected in the past have been either that Friday right before we go on break in December >> or Friday Valentine's Day >> which at that point we can't we don't allow them things like that. So writers should we have no those days >> conveniently conveniently. Okay. So I apologize. I want to

020clarify that because I know again we're going to get talk to money here and allocations and paying out of operational but those two days are set by the reported set by the ped. You got to count them like this. >> And and and the other part of that is is it's an average of that day both to correct and from. >> So we may have more kids coming to school. >> Mhm. >> On the bus, but they don't all leave on the bus. Valentine's Day, they can't take balloons, so their parents are picking them up. Or they have after school activities where they're not on that bus for after school. You take 60 kids on that, that's 30. throwing your average off right there >> just for just for that. >> So, those are things

021that and I know that the state has been talking about different parts of that and and how to handle this better. >> The other piece that I've been talking about for a while is those buses still have to do that entire route in the morning. They have to go see if that that that furthest kid if they're there to be picked up, they have to go there. >> If they're not there, they still have to the bus still has to go. >> Yeah. And so it's it's um I'm interested in in digging into more what that funding formula looks like from the state and trying to understand that better so that we can uh better educate you. >> I thank you for that moment. I just want to clarify that because I know that will

022will come up and I don't know if you all have any questions for Joe or Patty at this time or any of the uh clarifying questions. the fuel and operation and maintenance per mile is that factored by TED. >> No, >> that's all part of negotiation. >> And so I'll share with you, President Rosco, this is something that we discovered in kind of um a learning process on how some of these things are are are negotiated. So there's the there's this per mile situation uh that you know where the OM and an F, the fuel, the maintenance, the operations were together at this $1.98 or $2 per mile. Um we did discover uh and this is something that could be applied next year for clarity that those three are done separately right fuel is done

023by mileage right >> very simply the miles reported you know cost per mile I don't know what fuel cost I'm not an expert in that and then um I've seen uh again for future um uh conversations that the maintenance is actually calculated by bus right so we have you know there's 81 buses that are being maintained here's our m here's our estimated maintenance cost per bus. That way it gets a little bit away from putting that maintenance cost uh in with the miles. And so those are things again as we go forward that hasn't been the practice here. So I don't blame anybody, you know, anybody here, but going forward for clarity purposes for the board. Um that may be what we want to look at, right? Fuel by itself separately by mile. uh cost

024per bus because an older bus may require more maintenance than a newer bus, right? So you break that down by bus, you can track those costs over the year. And then of course maybe something a little more again this is not matter of expertise but something again separate for salary. So that's um how that was this time but I said not required by the ped. So, so, so the fuel if we all of a sudden get charged California prices, we cover it no matter what. >> Or do we go by what the contract is, right? >> So, right now it's already like the negotiations happen for the upcoming year. So, we go off. >> But what if it goes up? >> Yeah. So, what happens? What happens to it? >> It goes what was it?

025Three. >> What if it goes up? What if it goes >> say we're in December and the prices go to $4 to5 a mile? We have to >> We're still on this one unless you guys contract our >> But what if it goes down? We're We don't get our money back. >> Before was it tears or tears? >> We actually gas price went up. So we actually went to and they universal right the ped came up with emergency fuel money allocated across the districts for us and it was like few. >> But then what happens if it goes down? It goes to $150. Then what happens? Yeah, we have >> we're not we're not going to get a check back. >> And then the next thing that I got to ask, when I looked at

026the contract in the back, it says that the board, we didn't get to do no negotiation with you guys. We had somebody else that left negotiate for us. So, and Patty, I'm not trying. You should be negotiating, not and get everything together and then put it into the crew. I just don't understand why we've had so many other people. Number one, a person that left. That's number one. We should have never allowed that. And we should have done it as a group with more than just one person because the way I was told it was one person that contract that negotiated with them. It wasn't the group, it was one person. Well, I mean, and I have to correct, it wasn't even it was interim superintendent at the time, NIPS that joined us because these

027negotiations happened in May of this year for the upcoming school year. So, last year, every year it happens around May. We start maybe at >> Why Why weren't we brought it to the table? Because we're the ones signing for this contract. That That's the thing. Maybe two board members to sit in on the negotiations. >> So, uh, President Rosco, members of the board. So typically um and this is a conversation I did have this weekend uh through through policy um policies that you approved uh you do delegate some contract negotiations to me as the as the superintendent. So, what I do hear you say, Member Croll, is that one, um, let's make sure going forward that it's not a uh, and I think that was a that was something probably this May that was that

028was that was put into place that it was a team on behalf of the district. Uh, that the superintendent should be uh, for two years. Okay. Since you've been on board, Patty, the superintendent should be um, uh, engaged in that and be a policy uh, you know, that is delegated to to me as as the superintendent. As for your question about um hey fuel price is up fuel price is down do we get a rebate? That is a that is a question I don't have an answer to. However, what I can say going forward going forward in the future making sure that when we're negotiating we're doing this not by right taking OM operations maintenance and fuel together by mile that kind of makes it difficult to determine is this a fuel cost >> is

029this oper is this operation and maintenance cost. So I think going forward, member crawl, if we can uh do our negotiations by mile by fuel, right, >> and then m operations and maintenance separate by bus, what that allows us to do is the contractors can come say, "Hey, we've looked at a I don't know three-year average of fuel costs. This is what we're using very specifically by mile." Kind of as Joe has broken it down here. Um you know, if if we do that well and it's very clear and let's say we do we do We do do a field cost that's low, right? And and we we're running out of run out of fuel money. That's something that um you know, one if the contractors need an adjustment, they have to come back and

030ask, you know, if the state's not going to kick in an emergency allocation for fuel. It's just something that in the negotiations we sort of under estimated. Um then, you know, they could come back and and and possibly ask for amendment the contract for extra fuel. So what I hear you say member Croll is with that fuel which is going to be the thing that may fluctuate the most within a year. We want to really be spot on, right? As spot on as we can with that to make sure that you know the the contractors don't have to come back to us or that we've inflated the the the cost per gallon so much that um Right. We you know you know where I'm going with that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Now, as for a

031rebate, I I don't I don't know about rebates, right? a contract, but I want let's negotiate that very that one very accurately. I >> get sense. >> I think board member PA had a question. >> I think you answered it. >> Sorry. Sorry. >> Um I had a question just so I can understand the contract allocation table a little better and the explanation. So does it mean then that just because PED allocated a 4% increase doesn't mean you're going to get it? Is that what I was hearing? Well, we get the allocation, the full amount of the allocation because it's based on the prior year. Oh, >> okay. That's what I missed. >> So, you get your writership, that's what goes into the formula and then you get that for the next year, your 80th

032120 day then for next year for this year goes into extra allocation. So, we do get that allocation. Now, the rental piece of that does change throughout the year because if they end up getting a new bus in throughout the year, then that rental fee kicks in and starts coming to us. And then we come back uh to the board with a new contract for the change of the rental fees. >> And that's why at the top of this spreadsheet, you'll see everything in yellow, it shows just the last three years, how that allocation has changed. And so the percentage under column H right next to the 2526 school year it shows that 4% increase that we got this year for this school year 26. >> Okay. >> Bus buses are going up. So >>

033let me share about because I know Joe's going to talk here in a moment about about the rental about the rental the rental fees. I think an important thing to also know, right, bus prices are definitely going up just like your just like your car prices are going up. I think it's also important to understand and and uh and know Patty and Joe just helped with this. We you know there but I'm not a bus expert. They they age out. there's a cycle um I believe for the 2627 school year there's quite a few buses that are going to be cycling out and so we actually have to order buses a whole request buses a whole year ahead of time. So, uh, recently, uh, Patty and Joe shared a document with me saying, "Hey, Nick,

034these are the these are the buses that are going to expire in 2627." So, we need to get that on the ped's radar now. So, we have these rental fees this year that are probably uh modest, but uh, for 2627, >> we may come back to next year because we're going to need x amount of more buses, and that cost is going to is going to be uh much larger. But Joe's gonna explain why that's really just sort of a we're just passing the money. It's a pass through. So Joe, I don't know if you want to kind of explain that. >> I changed over to a different uh a different tab on the spreadsheet and I'm just giving one example of a bus that was recently uh the bus cost of the contractors because

035we get copies of the invoices. We actually while the bus is under this rental agreement, we are dem public schools is a lean holder on that bus as well. Okay. So this bus cost $129,000. So, what PED did is they put starting March 1st of 25 through June of 29 that they're going to pay us $33,000 annually for that bus that they pay us, we turn around, pay the contractor. Okay? So, if you were to take that $33,000, divide it by 12 months, you get $2,700 a month. You multiply that times the 52 months in that contract. Over that 52 months, the contractors are paid $144,000. Now, it is a business decision of the contractors whether they advertise that and take a loan out and use this money to pay that or whether they pay

036it outright and then collect this money over the next 52 months as a return to them. >> I do have a question. Um, so you're talking about the the fee. So is that part the rental fee? Is that part of the allocation that we get or is that separate funding? >> It is part of the allocation, but it is a separate line on the allocation. >> It's a separate line. >> Right. So if you look back on the the the previous page up in the yellow, >> our total allocation for this year is 2.9. Of that 2.8 is allocated for >> operating the buses >> and 175,000 is allocated for rental fees to pay either for buses they've gotten this year >> or buses that haven't been p haven't gone through the full rental agreement

037in the past. And depending on the bus, the number of buses, that's where you'll see that in the breakdown in the contract where they're we're getting the money for pet and then we pay them for those rental fees aside from the transportation service. >> And and uh correct me if I'm wrong, Patty uh or Joe, when it comes to allocating the amount for the rental fee. That's why we're turning this stuff into the ped a year early. So a we can see you know we can they can get on the radar about buying buses for 2627 and I mean you know then the peds got to investigate is this a bus that you know is you know we needs to be replaced and so >> it is a super technical process >> in May or

038sometimes early June which we already did for this upcoming year and there's six buses for the paper >> six and then July got six >> so and so it's all just kind of They help us keep all that straight because we get those lists from them and then that's what you'll see included in the contract itself. Every year it'll be changing. So that's where Joe is talking about that amount right there listed under the rental in the yellow part, the last on 2526. We might come back next year and you're going to see that's going to increase signific significantly because of the number of buses getting this year prepping to So, I think the most important thing as we're talking about, you know, the the information today and we're looking at things in the future,

039always try to mentally on the to and from contract, mentally separate out the rental fees. Does that make sense? As as a factor. And if you're looking at, you know, overall operating costs, fuel that we're that we're paying, try to focus on on that fuel, operation, maintenance, salary, and benefit. That's that's kind of the the the areas of the contract that are um I I would say, you know, we talk about more whereas the rental fees are kind of >> well that those are those are the fees that we're able to to talk about because the rental fees >> are is no there's nothing to talk about that just flows through >> and rental fees are set by pet and they are set for if it's a smaller bus it's a certain amount. If it's

040the bigger bus is it certain amount. If there's certain uh equipment that's needed there's different amount. So, it all varies depending upon what is what the requirements are. >> Yeah. And the pet will say you have less mileage, redo your routes. We're not going to replace, you know, we're not going to give you rental fees to replace uh this bus. >> Do they hold on that? I mean, I brought it up because like, you know, bus go up, so parts go up. >> So, I got here I got injectors. I mean, we got injectors. You got to look at actuators, turbos. They they they break down. They >> Yeah. Matter of fact, we need to buy a new motor, right? Been down for one year almost selling now. So now you're everything's cruising. >> Nobody

041no mechanical or no diesel. >> So let me I think let me let me pause you on on that maintenance stop and let Miss Cameron asked the question that she has and I'll go back I'll go back to that because um I have I had a little Miss Cameron, did you have a question? I'm sorry. Well, I was just thinking about some of the the the dis distances to and where they take them to and where they park them and and all of that. Having used to live on the river when our kids were growing up, you know, they would be left out in the middle of a dirt road. >> And so like where you know, wear and tear on buses on the rural roads, that's that's a factor um as well. >> Also,

042if I can add Yes, ma'am. It was a factor that if the buses didn't come right on or they came early, then we had the situation of our children were >> were out in the middle of nowhere. >> Um let me let me go back to this comment here. The the Sanchez is correct. >> Yes. >> We're making uh so I think as we again um from my perspective uh in in the superintendent's chair and and and trying to make sure I can provide the best information uh uh to to the school board as we move forward. I think this idea of right I I I'm I'm not a expert in anything mechanical but I do know right I do know that that that we all see that right if our cars are going up

043buses are going up um I think as as we as we go forward um you know in possible discussions next year we really want to to have a handle on a a per bus situation for the operation and maintenance would be my preference uh versus this and together in the in the miles because what you're telling me here I completely I completely get it right and if and if you you know you have your the 31 what 31 >> buses right >> injectors say I got one >> I bought injectors on so maybe I bought them in so this one was in so we did a full injectors on the bus and this one was in May of 24 >> and I bought another bus we did injectors full injectors That's fine. >> So on

044those I paid 5,200. Then on the on the following one couple months I was paying 6,200. >> Correct. >> So $1,000 difference, right? >> And and that's just the injector itself. I mean labor. >> Sure. Labor. >> I hear cracked windshields are a thing. came out of a windshield >> replace are, you know, they're pre-cut windshields now. You know what I'm saying? We got these ugly roads, you know, highway line, not pretty. We got these newer buses. They're not pre-cut windshields. Correct. They're factory windshield. You know what a factory windshield cost $100. Oh, not labor including, right? >> The installer ain't going to stock those anymore. You know what I'm saying? So, what are we going to do? >> Correct. >> We don't have a windshield guy. Correct. >> What do we do? >> Correct.

045Yeah. You have the contract. >> Border International Border International Las Cusus. Not around the corner. We lose our mechanic. >> What do we do now? We got to go make a few miles. >> Absolutely. And I think >> bus breaks down. What's towing cost? We had a bus wrecked. >> We put in toy tow truck towed it. Los cruises $1,800 tow it over. >> And I would and and and I think you know some of these things that we're having the opportunity to share today. >> I think for the you know for the governing board here with as again right this is what this meeting is for clarification on some of these costs. I think that like I said as as we can go forward and and talk about how we're going to break these

046things down a a little more discreetly um that informs you know me the transportation department and the school board on because because here's the situation right I and you know I I know as a district we want we want a uh a transportation service that is you know is is you know uh safe um is c is cost-ffective and is comprehensive. ensive as as uh you know as as available and and that's what uh I know the expectation of this board is on behalf of you know us being stewards of taxpayer money and and obviously um as we you know as we possibly move forward um next year we want to make sure that we that as we come through this I and Patty can give them um the clearest the clearest information for me

047in the future that is sort of a um you know a a per bus situation, right? And those examples you gave of hey this was this was the cost change in in in three months um you know we're going to rely on you all to be able to again in the future in negotiations um or in a future transportation meeting to share that um clearly. So I don't know other other questions that anybody had on this part or anything we need to revisit on some elements of the fuel the maintenance u the um salaries the salaries and benefits and you know the increase in in some of these um costs here. Miss Pas >> I did have a question on fuel. >> Yes ma'am. >> So do you pay the regular average rate for fuel

048or is there like a bulk um if you buy in in bulk you get a a discount? So we >> driving up to 5, >> throw your credit card in there and let's go. >> So you don't you don't you don't get any kind of the bulk buying bulk. It's only a few cents difference. >> Worth it. >> Not really. It's just more convenient to pump from a tank at my yard instead of going to the pump. >> So you So you basically pay what everybody else >> Yeah. In our facility, I mean, we have no big tank. I mean, we'll need maybe a tank that's maybe 8,000 gallons. >> Has to be insulated. It has to be regulated. We have to have got to have a tank. >> So, I'm going to cost them

049that is up there. So, we found a fuel trailer. It's a dozen gallons. So, we fill that one up by the pump and fill our buses up. So, I mean, we're we're filling out maybe shoot 2,000 gallons maybe a week. a week. >> That's a lot of fueling. >> Um I know >> weekly,000 gallons just fill up our bus and get us going through that week. Friday will do the same thing. >> 2,000 gallons >> for one bus. >> Oh, okay. >> 31 buses. >> Other questions our board members might have about this uh uh this topic. >> Thank you. Then as far as end of the year we send those expenditure report about that we put in how much fuel we spend >> for the year and all that. That's that's what we put

050on we put it in on all that. >> That's the second part. Once we break it down in the contract. So say for example we're working on next this upcoming year's contracts. They then at the end of the year have to provide a report to PED that shows the expenditure on fuel and benefits and everything like that. And so pretty much it matches what he's in our contracts. >> How often are we changing buses? >> Every 12 years depending if actually say you know what this bus is realized reliable but I mean that's yeah >> but then how long is a warranty for a bus when you guys buy? We pay 100 you guys pay for not really. >> There's no warranty on the buses. You don't have a year >> two years but that

051depends on part on the part of the but your dev system is only like 12 months for your dev system. Your engine is a year and then certain components is less six months, three months or four months >> and you only got to Albert >> or Los Cruises. >> And how long they going to wait? And then you have a situation that me and Patty just stressed about is I bought brand new sped bus got it in January. The lift had a problem with the wheelchair. One, it caught fire. Two, one of the lines blew set it up to Albuquerque to warrant it. The warranty system, the warranty for the company, they wouldn't honor it. They said, "Well, then it was installed brought in the manufacturer International would warrant it." But luckily, we have a

052big truck dealer up there, Roberts, that says, "I'll cover it. Don't worry." So, we have things like that that do help us now and then, but I still end up paying about 1,200 bucks, which is >> And for the amount of money you pay for a bus, you should at least have two or three years of warranty. >> I think uh to your point, member Coleman, to your point, Mr. Haynes, uh you know, folks that work on on buses and diesels and large, you know, th those there's a lack of those people, right, out there out there in in the society. So, we're we're we're we're competing for um uh a scarce uh a scarce a scarce resource, I suppose. >> Uh when you say diesel, it's just it's not a magic. We're going to

053add a couple hundred bucks because it's a diesel. It just that's just the way it goes, >> you know. And one of the biggest things is that I mean if you look at this just from a a person walking down the street and you know just a person that doesn't know anything about all this stuff $2.1 million is what we're spending and we have 2,800 kids that ride the bus. And so kind of hard to wrap your head around and so that's that's what the purpose of of this is as well to kind of get that out there and to share the information. Um, so when people approach us, you know, in the community like, why are we spending $2.1 million on driving kids around? >> And I I want to emphasize what they what

054Superintendent Wolgamoth and President Orosko said is that the board has an obligation to to have fiscal oversight over these things, right? And so when I'm looking at the contract from previous school year to this upcoming school year and I'm seeing a 34% difference in fuel cost and I'm seeing a 20% increase in operations and I'm wondering why and none of that was explained before. I really appreciate Superintendent Waldgamoth's ideas of future negotiations being based on actual numbers because I think that we owe the public to do that instead of saying, "Well, let's just do a 6% increase per mile and then we're going to finagle the numbers a little bit and make it spread out so that it it somehow equals 6%." That's confusing. Yeah, >> like people like to do math and I'm I

055was really struggling here and I think I got it but I don't think that's fair to the public >> and member I think that member Kley members of the board I think too again uh no no fault of anybody in this room this per mile situation combining the OM N and F which I think that caused the greatest for me new to this caused caused the greatest lack of clarity and those were the questions that that I that I had. Um I don't and and Mr. Adcock explained this to me when I was kind of going on his well Nick. He says in other industries, right, if you're driving a big rig, you know, you're paying, you know, sometimes it is a per mile, right? You know, those drivers are getting paid per mile and

056it's covering, right, the OMN and F of their of their rig. And so I could see from a from a historical perspective how how mileage may have been used under that lens of of you know like the the big rig you know driver rig that may have been been okay. But I think for clarity purposes for the public right to know oh my gosh yeah they they do have 31 buses and they are maintaining and this one is this one is is 11 years old on its last leg and and this is the maintenance on this one. this newer one, you know, is is causing costing us a little bit less, you know, a little bit less on average uh to ma, you know, uh to maintain. Hey, at, you know, um I would appreciate

057again in possible future negotiations that you that you come and say, hey, these are these are the again some of the terms you're using I'm not familiar with. These are the largest components that we are are replacing uh commonly and it's this was just kind of the the the the increase on these over the year and that gives >> you can't really tell. That's >> right. You never know until >> she has a good year and then next thing you know you never know. >> That's correct. But it's but it's confusing, right, to like a regular person. Like I'm looking at, you know, this spreadsheet and I see average mileage for M& went down, but fuel costs and operations went up huge. And then you look at Hannes, whose miles went up a little bit

058and your average your percentage in fuel went down from last year, but you have the same number of buses, slightly different routes. It's confusing. And I just think that rather than lumping it all in together, increasing it by six percent and then you're sparsing it out again somehow. I don't >> Yeah. Okay. And I I don't understand that you're together and then you're separate. Yeah, >> I think that it would be more fair and make more sense and be more transparent to not just the board, but also the public if we were actually using a methodology based on average maintenance costs and actual fuel used and projected fuel per mile or whatever, like how you see it in other places and and nobody I mean nobody questions that the district needs transportation and no one's

059questioning that you're providing that service. That's not the issue at all. The issue is trying to understand the methodology behind the contract amounts and like President Oroskco mentioned the public just hears a number and the public just hears percentages and that's what we hear most of the time too and so I think we have an obligation to say wait like why you know um >> and we have 800 employees that we have to justify spending money as well because you guys are asking for a 6% % but we just gave our employees four. How does that look for us and how does that go well with them? Because everybody struggles right now. Owners are struggling. It's hard to put food on the table. >> Costs are expensive. You go buy meat down. >> Yeah. >>

060Go buy meat at the store and you go broke with one meal, >> you know. >> Um and so I think it's it's not only us having to justify it to the public. We have 800 employees that we got to justify it to as well. >> And it's our it's our duty. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's our duty >> especially especially when I think it's important to understand especially when when the cost for the to and from contract like I mentioned earlier exceeds the pet allocation right if the two and from if the pet allocation was was was X and then our contract you know was X and it was a you know right a cancel out right that would be a little bit different story but being that we're we're not just not just here

061I understand that right that that many districts with are having to subsidize. It's important for the public to know. Well, part of that has nothing to do with with anybody here. It has to do with, you know, the the peds calculation of kids riding the bus or not riding the bus, which leads to, you know, leads to a lower number. And if if we're equipped with that information, the board's out there saying, "Okay, well, this cost us $2 million. Our allocation was was X. We had to pay $200,000 operational." Well, that's because uh the writership was was low this year, right? That's information that that can equip them to answer. >> Yeah. And we've gone to schoolboard conventions that, you know, we've talked to other districts and they're like, "Ped gives us a check and

062we just turn on give it to the contractor and they say it's not enough." We're like, "Well, that's all they're going to give us and that's all we're going to get." >> So, you know, there's districts out there like that as well and they're like, "We can't subsidize anymore because everything that we have outside of this goes to the kids, >> right?" And that's the other piece to this is if we take $200,000 away from operational budget, what can we do with that to be able to educate our kids to educate your kids? >> Is that money you take away from the classroom? >> Where does it go? You know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> I currently have another district about too, but I mean I still charge sending my daughter out there and

063all that stuff too. So understand >> and then federal programs are getting cut, you know, across the board in a lot of different places. And so what is that going to look like in another year? >> And our enrollment's going down downward trend. And so I mean I don't know if we need >> an efficiency study about routes or or anything like that. >> No. And I do want to thank you guys because I think the questions that you've had over the years, even just in the short time that I've been with participants, have has really made us think about the process that we're going through. I can't speak for the process before, but I know that in the last two years, like I said, this was only the second time that I myself bring

064this team to the table that includes the people at mentioned. And I want to thank um Joe because he's been helpful in creating this spreadsheet to kind of help us wrap our minds around what's been done in the past. Can we find a pattern there or what is it that we can do moving forward? And now we have those breakdowns that for next year things are going to look differently like superintendent off the bat and we can have principles that you all say and I want to thank them too for being willing to kind of sit at the table and provide the information that we're saying and disclaimer I think from the board and I think I can speak for the board in the respect that we're not pointing fingers at anybody and we don't

065want anybody to feel like they're to blame. It's just we want to be able to educate ourselves on this and be able to as we go forward, you know, make correct decisions based on what we have in front of us and then justify those decisions to people out in the public. >> One of the things that I jump, the last thing I'll add before we move on is um one of the things that part of my five-year plan was to try to do cost analysis for the department to see where we are with the district itself. And that's I think that where we're headed with Joe in this last piece of the spreadsheet and another >> before you finish the PowerPoint. I think Miss Cameron had one comment and then we continue. Miss Kevin, did

066you have anything else you wanted to add? >> Well, I don't know. Maybe this is is another discussion, but I'm also concerned about the safety of where our routes are, where our kids are left off. Like I was saying, my children when they were left out in the middle of a road that was, you know, 15 miles to the house, 15 miles to the city, just to make sure, and I'm not saying that's happening now, but just to make sure that our points where we leave our children uh should also be looked at to make sure they are safe because we would, heaven forbid, any child be left to it really wouldn't be the bus, but we can another >> make sure the most safe way we And thank you for that kind, Miss M.

067I know I'm I'm going to let let Miss Traviso file that away in in considering her route analysis uh project that she wants to launch sometime this school year. So, we'll make sure we consider that. >> Just just as a point to that, uh my two grandkids do ride the bus and there was one time it was one of the early releases, whatever it was, the bus ended up at the stop before my wife was able to get there and pick them up. There was phone calls made to my wife. They didn't just the kids were not just dropped off and left. There was phone calls made to get make sure that they were they were doing what they were supposed to. >> No. And I'm not being critical. I'm just >> so I I

068you know I think the bus the bus contractors were doing that to ensure our safety of our kids. >> Just I just wanted to clarify one other point here. Um earlier I think it was misstated just slightly in that as we talked our allocation for the co for the transportation non- rentalal was $2.8 million or just shy of $2.8 million. The total that is in the contracts for Mnt and Paint is just shy of $2.2 million. That's leaving $600,000 for our transportation, our transportation department, the employees, the buses that we run, those types of things. Now, >> it's not enough, >> right? >> I see that. Yeah. >> But it was mentioned a little bit earlier. Just wanted to clarify not everything that's in that allocation does go to the bus contractors because we do

069have the transportation department and a couple of buses that that we operate. Right. >> Okay. Now, oper uh operational does subsidize that because if you look at going back to the PowerPoint, I did this analysis um again as part of the the the contract and basically I took what is what was our expenditures during the 24 25 year. I increased the salaries and benefits by the 4% because we know that increase is going to be there. And so total cost of to and from transportation by the schools is just over a million. Now that is the $600,000 is going towards that as well. Okay. So this is not what's coming out of operational. It's about $400,000 is what's coming out of operational to subsidize the the transportation. >> Do we have any idea how that

070compares to other districts of similar size to Deming? >> We we did talk with with the help of uh Superintendent Nick. Uh we've we've got some information from Gadston in what they do and of course their size is twice the size of ours >> and their subsidy is about twice of what ours is. So from a reasonability standpoint, I know that's just one other data point, >> right? >> But that is that kind of makes me feel a lot better that it's in the ballpark >> of where that should be, >> right? >> Um and it has been u you know a requirement for as long as I've been here that operational does have to subsidize some of that uh >> some of that to and from transportation >> and depending on the district, right?

071Um, like I said, we we operate a little bit larger transportation department here with activity buses, whereas for example, um, in Gatston, uh, Boone, they own all the activity buses, right? So, so that's so, you know, when it comes to stuff that's going to the district directly, there's less in Gaton because they have, you know, have turned more of that over to the contractor to do just about everything. But the sub to Joe's point, the they have about twice the number of buses. The subsidy uh that gas uses is is about twice what we use. So it's the subsidize it's on the subsidies are very equivalent percentage wise. >> We can operate the buses cheaper than the district can because you guys pay in the benefits and >> correct insurance. >> Correct. So I know

072when Milo was here he was going to retire and I think I don't know if he signed but 64 and 70 we're going to turn to one to MTS for that reason being so we could hire just our drivers it would be a lot cheaper than hiring having you guys someone full time benefits and all that stuff activities I mean you guys always had activities >> yeah I guess >> and the the 16% insurance on this slide that you referenced to is that the insurance on the buses So what is that? >> Um that is our our property insurance in total. >> Oh okay. >> Okay. So all of our liability, our property, all of that insurance went up. Now a piece of that does insurgences. >> That's the reason why I don't have a

073a straight dollar number down here because it's it's lumped into all of our insurance that we have through them. >> And contractually that we're obliged we're obligated to provide that. And that's a heck of an that's everything. >> But that's uh you know that's what the insurance companies do is they look at what what they paid out and they're going to make sure that they make their money. So >> yeah. >> But yeah, it's it's and it's and we are unique I think compared to a couple of different as as Superintendent Nick said at Gadston. They've got one bus contractor that handles everything the routings and all of that stuff to where we have two bus contractors. And so the the the contractors aren't really able to do a lot of that stuff that needs

074to be done here at DPA in in the schools >> because they couldn't do the routing individually. It's got to be done as a tool. >> So go ahead. Go ahead. I know this next slide yours, Patty. >> And we may have we may have touched on some of this thing from the about the 6%, right? Uh the reason for the 6% increase. I think we kind of might have touched on that. >> So at this point >> again thank you Joe because he's done a marvelous job of helping us kind of keep the numbers straight and how to be able to present that information and so our department's going to work closely with finance department. So what I wanted to do at this time is pretty much turn it over to you all kind

075of contracted. I know you've already presented some information, but if you have anything else to show for that and be able to skip to that 6% of exactly where it's going, the breakdown of that and just kind of hand it over to you all if you have any other questions for that. >> I know you shared a little bit about you gave some examples uh Mr. chances of the of the m you know just kind of the maintenance cost the operation cost of your program right your program you you know getting the buses here and there to cruises and obviously waiting buses out of commission um I don't know if there's any or or uh Mr. Haynes if there's anything additional you want to share with the board about the the the the reasoning for

076the 6% increase or if there's other questions the board may have in clarifying um that. So I'll give you all a moment to think about that >> as far as my state of before the training the district would pay for the training now we're paying the training. So I mean you know >> the flow of drivers matter of fact we just lost four drivers because I mean we don't have a contract yet. So I mean there was kind of like what's going on >> um to hire someone and just to train himself just to play the class and the license is 1500 >> driver. I mean this past year we had what seven drivers >> drivers >> some still coming out of us >> seven drivers then we lost four >> for the time being

077there's 36 hours of training um still things that will add all to it um so now I am certified SBDI certified so now I can do the training try to save my company a little bit more money starts the training cost um this past year knock on wood I mean we had hopefully I even had three jars come in three potential voice. Well, they don't they don't we can't hurt ourselves. Nobody wants to be a sub. Nobody wants to be on call. So, what I did, I went ahead and hurt us a little bit helps. I told Petty about it. Um, sorry guys. We're open for money. So, I went ahead and hired those three drivers. So, I know um these routes, I mean, I drive personally bus two. It's hard. It's hard especially when

078you have to do your seating charts. I mean, you got there's buses that have two routes. So, you drop off kids, maybe have them for 15 minutes, 20 minutes. You got to know their names. You got to know where they're going to sit at. We drop them off. We pick up another batch. So, it's kind of hard on the driver. >> So, what I did, I hired these three employees. I had them working kind of like part time, full-time. So, I had them there every day. So, whatever driver needed help. So, I would put actually the subdriver I hired, he would drive the bus. >> Then the driver itself would actually stand up and, you know, talk to the kids, get to know the kids, right? I'm going to sit you over here kind of.

079And that I think that helped us a lot as far as having our as far as kids, you know, misbehaving and stuff like that. I think that helped us out a lot. >> So, I mean, that's why I was asking for a little bit more. I actually wanted a little bit more, keep doing the same thing. Hire more drivers, have us subs, full subs. >> Um, >> well, the school did hire, you know, sub, you know, monitors and all that, but I mean, >> only one. I mean, we got 31 buses. H got another logo. So, I mean, you can't bounce them around. I mean, Mr. Viso did a great job. We got some monitors down in Columbus. That's helping out a lot. But those kids, we got 70 some kids and a one bus

080trips. You know what? That is that's hard. >> So, that really helped out a lot. So, we started seeing that, you know, helping out these drivers and all that. And now they want to drive. They want to. So, we did that over here. And like I said, Mr. Theresa did a hell of a job and but she can't. Okay, I need you here. But, >> right, >> bouncing around. So we did pre- drivers and like I said that was amazing. I mean it was really helpful. >> So that's what I mean surrounding I mean I don't know I don't know how they found out start coming hey you can help us out help us out. I mean my priorities yours I mean I'll just look to you guys. >> I mean but I did help

081catch as far as activities during the weekends and all that stuff. But I mean everybody's already it's hard to get drivers in. >> That's why I want to give a little bit more raise trying to keep them here. Um, I know our contract, there's one contract there, so it's kind of observing. So, I do pay it year round. So, I mean, I can't really pay him. I could pay him July, but I'm not sure if we're going to sign it or not here. So, it kind of puts us in a bind. So, I did lose for her. So, put us in a bind starting off. I mean, it hurts everybody >> as far as we're not we're not alternate buses and we're not I mean, >> you know, Mr. She also has, you know, deadline.

082She has to report. Okay, here's a bus sign seats. You know what I'm saying? We can't come through. She's over here pushing us. Well, we can't come through. You know what I'm saying? And so what do you do? Well, send me send me one of your sub. Well, I can't know. You know what I'm saying? So, and that really helps out a lot. >> And them drivers are really they want to drive. >> So, they don't want to drive. >> I mean, we started off it was it was hard to get. Now, they're actually knocking on doors. They want to drive. I don't know if we're doing something right. I don't know. I don't know. But it was something good again. But it is hard to get them trained. take maybe three weeks to get

083them trained, licensed, and all that stuff in the middle of the state building. >> I can speak on Gab's point that we're one of the only entities that they have to get medically certified and get their tests and permits done before they even have the job. >> So, they have to do all that on their own. And it being part-time, the pay has got to be there to entice them to come in. And if it's there, they're will I've got several now they're in training the pay's there and they they they're willing to do all that extra work without the pay so they can get your job. >> What is your um what is your uh rate? Do you have a for your two and from drivers? Is it a a rate by hour, rate

084by >> by day? Do I do by round? >> When you talk about entity, is it you yourself as the entity or are you talking about >> bus contractors? Oh >> in general as a general rule. Yeah. >> Yeah. They can come in through the application, everything, but then you got to give them this is what you got to do first and this is what you got to do second before I can start your training. Once you're trained, you know, they have the job, but they got to get all that done first. >> So, pretty much the MVD that take four tests and that's kind of a majority of them kind of give up. We do have a small MBD. Um there's only one one computer, right? Computers. Um it's kind of hard especially I

085mean females. I mean there's females that want to work. Um, but it's kind of hard to get them started. You can't really train them and send them where to get the test. So, it's kind of got the best test in then training. Well, they can't really you can't train them and send them out to get tested. >> Then you get medically certified. They have to go to the doctor. So, that's an out-of pocket cost. And around here, it's a hundred something bucks just to get that test. I for for the my the last two years I have a contract with first choice in Los Cruus where I'll send them to the one that takes care of the creative deployment drug screen and their medical exam. I get a discount for it and then I pay

086for that helps entice them that way they don't have to spend that extraund and something they may not even have. So now they can get all that done and I'll pay them. >> Have you all provided financial statements to the district to show like all these costs? No, it's more kind of just report like this and that random random screen every three months or I do all employees it's about 1900 random on required by law >> and president ro me members of the board member crumbley I think that um that's something that in in conversation with Mr. Riso um contractually and in and state statute. We probably didn't have clarity at the time negotiations were going on that that that we you know we had the option to ask for more detailed u financial statements.

087And so um that's something that again uh and possible future negotiations um we're committed to u doing a better job with the contract saying hey this is as we as we move into this this is this is some more specific information that that we're going to need. So again, that was something that um but in this process that we learned as well. Other questions about the 6% raise and then we got a couple more slides. We'll take a short break and then talk about um the activity buses separately. >> Anything else you guys would like to add? >> Anything on on your end, Brandon, as far as I know Gabe said talked about what his increases were. Is it do you have anything different than that? >> No, about the same. Yeah. And then maintenance

088like tire, your main things, tires, trim shields, airlines, certain components like you talk about turbo actuators. I've got one on here. It's 2300. That's part alone. It still has to be installed and calibrated. Uh we don't have the calibration equipment to do it. It has to be a computer with a certain software. Uh one of the things too is we're required to buy air conditioned buses. before we have what two on my end that this district pays for maintenance and repair on that. >> Exactly. >> All the new ones that are coming air conditioned, we have to buy the systems to charge them up or heat charge them. And that's about between 8 and $10,000 just for that piece. That doesn't include the amount of freon we have to use for those buses. They take

089between 15 and 20 pounds per unit. And there's three units on that bus. >> The filter you have to change out the filters on maybe 200 m. >> Yeah. I just had a bus that had sand in the filters. It was having real trouble getting powering up and everything. Took it to border. >> $1,100 just for the filter and diagnostic. >> Let me ask a clarifying question here because I don't know this um because this could be a factor different in in dimming than other places. So, obviously you have you have um you may or may not, right? You have a level of maintenance facilities uh at your you know as as part of your contracting company. But what I'm hearing you say, right, there's there's a level of maintenance and repair that you can

090do uh based on on the facilities and the technicians or the mechanics you may have, but there are another level of of maintenance and repair that is is having to be right for using outsourced to, you know, outsourced to to somebody in Cruis or somebody in um uh in NA. Is that kind of what I'm getting there? >> All right. Thank you. >> Anything else? Okay, >> we need to loop back. Patty, go ahead. >> So, the next question that was asked is, okay, what are the reasons for terminating an existing? So, we went ahead and did a little bit of research, and it's also included in the contracts themselves that you have a copy of. There's three reasons. Violation of law, violation of the terms of the contract, and then of course, violation of

091regs and policies at the state level or even schoolboard policy. So the procedures for that is that if we do find violations of any of those three, then the board shall serve notice to the contractors in person or by certified mail. Um and we must specify the charges against the contractor. Then the next step would be we'd have to hold a hearing no later than 10 days after that notice is issued. Um from there then the contractor would have the right to appear and be represented by legal counsel to be heard and to call witnesses and basically the the board shall have the power to suspend the contract defending the hearing. Then the final step in that is the decision of the board shall be final and conclusive subject only to the approval of the

092state transportation direct. And so that was one of the big questions that was asked and this we found like I said you can even turn as you look through the contracts that is kind of clarified there and then the New Mexico administrative code goes into a little bit more detail about that process. Any questions? >> I'm going to say something because of course we we hear a lot of things and we're told a lot of things and um we need to respect everyone here. She's an amazing person. She represents the board and the district and I think in the past years or the past months I plainly she needs to be respected. You're getting a contract from the school district. So that's the person if she tells you to jump. This is what we need

093to do. That's what we need to do. We don't want to hear anymore that we're having troubles or we're having issues. We are not carrying cows. We are carrying human beings. We're carrying our kids, our futures. So, we need to make sure that we have good bus drivers. We have good ideas of how to make things better, not just, well, we can't do this. We just we don't want to hear that no more because the past couple of months or years, we we've heard it over and over and over. This is happening. That's it. I know kids are more disrespectful this year, but there's ways we can solve the problems so that we all can get along. So we don't have to send letters so we don't have to get upset or people in the

094community are getting upset that their kids are mis being mistreated. And so I I hope this year that we can come to some kind of agreement that we all respect each other and we listen to each other and we get things done. >> Yeah. And just to add to that, I mean, I think we come to the table with the the the discipline matrix, you know, for the for the buses and trying to get that regulated. We heard you guys with that. Um, but we want to make sure that this is a clear understanding that we're the ones that are at the end of the day, we're the ones that hold the purse and you guys are providing the service. Seems like it kind of got skewed. Just kind of piggybacking off of that a

095little bit and it's nobody to blame, but we just want to make sure that going forward, $2.1 million, a lot of money that we're going to be spending with you all. And we want to make sure that we that there's clear lines of understanding that we have the the purse in this whole thing. You guys are providing a service and we don't want to hear about stuff where staff is getting hassled about this or having to having to jump through hoops to be able to uh get something that they shouldn't have to ask for more than once. It's as simple as that. You guys are in business. You guys are business people. you guys if you put your your if you put if you guys come sit in this situation, you wouldn't want the same

096for yourself. We're just asking for the same. I don't think we're being unreasonable. Um we're just asking for the same um that you would if you were sitting here. >> That's why I jump forward and that's why I hire those three drivers. >> Yeah. >> I got a license. That reason being, you know. Yeah. We got problem fall bus. I have a driver sub driver that bus for whole weeks and I have a driver modeling that busy kids and that's that's what came out of those right. >> Yeah. >> And he still pays for those two came out of something that was my idea. I told Patty about it. She thought go ahead. I mean we can't fund you for that and I went and jumped and did that. >> Yeah. I mean we know

097>> Yeah. No and I get it. I the the the life that I lived before. Believe me, I've seen the worst of the worst in the last 20 plus years. I know. I get it. I I completely understand. Um I'm probably more understanding than than most on this board because I've seen people at their worst time and time again. So, I get that. Um it's just I want to make sure that, you know, we have we have to build relationships because they're kids. They're not going to know any better. And I mean, you look at some of the the environments that they're coming from, man. Oh, man. you know, I handled the call before I got here and and and you know, this kid that's facing challenges and and the stuff that they were exposed

098to at home is when they interviewed him, the kids were like kind of indifferent to it because it had been happening for so long, they're like, "But to to one of your kids, one of my kids, man, they'd be they'd be in counseling for months." >> And so these kids are exposed to a bunch of different stuff. And then do you know to >> there's one I mean >> so kid I mean I'm always jumping around right I'm very friendless as well and I told him why it felt good that kid came up he's like hey Mr. You're my buser. You're my buser. Okay. He was already ready to come back to school. I mean, that felt good. >> Yeah. >> Like, well, >> you're actually impacting the kids. You know, >> it is >>

099cuz, you know, they're looking at I think they're looking at, you know, I think I'm getting lots of kids, stuff like that, you know, and I have the drivers doing the same. >> Yeah. And you guys see it. >> You're having one driver that's going to be kind of >> Yeah. And you guys see that. That's what you guys got to pass on to your to your employees is that the same way, man. Because Yeah. It feels great to to see a kid run up that you hadn't seen in months and like, "Hey, give you a hug or >> always one." >> Yeah. >> I I do have a comment though. When it comes to like student behavior, >> um we talked a little bit about trainings in the that the bus driver, have you

100all thought about maybe um reaching out to the community to help you to train your bus drivers? Um, I know that a a person who doesn't have expertise in the area of kids behavior is going to have a little bit more trouble handling kids who had difficulties. But there's a lot of agencies in in Demi like CFD and other agencies that could probably help you all. And I know it's an investment when it comes to training. And I know it cost money, but you could probably get some very supportive training for your for your drivers. And that would really I feel like that would really make a difference because like like Mr. Little was saying, kids are coming from very difficult um situations and every you know all behavior is learned behavior. And so if

101if a child is acting a certain way, there's a possibility that it's coming from the home or the situations that they're going through. And I know that when we talked about that last year that you all were having behaviors and we got stricter when it came to um consequences. Consequences is one thing, but support is another. And so having me and the bus drivers understand that they can make referrals. We did talk to you about that. Like letting the counselor know at the school, hey, this child is is showing this behavior. Can you all support us? So, I really feel like we can definitely be partners with you all and I know that your job is very difficult, but um there's a lot of people at the school with a lot of expertise that could

102help you and and there's a lot of organizations in town that could help you all too. So, um just keep that in mind. Um and maybe maybe that'll help me next year. >> Do we have any more slides before we do a little recess? Okay. I do want to thank you all for this. Like I said, I've always felt very supportive at the local level, at the district level. And both Miss Mora and I have are teachers at heart, administrators. That was the first thing coming into this department is raising that level of of quality service is that students come first, safety first. And we've been working with them on that. And they do, you know, they're open-minded students collaboration. And we do offer the services comes in. Um we're able to provide a lot

103of those trainings. So, I thank you for for hitting on that point because we feel it's important and capturing kids hearts because we know that building those relationships are important and then being able to um >> so all of the all of the bus drivers are involved. >> So, definitely we they would join us in our trainings and now they've chosen to kind of do their own training and we have provided a list of those that we want them to seek. they can however they they reach out to either rec or or themselves but we do do that for our own drivers and we used to include them on it but those are crucial trainings that I definitely think are important for a driver and so >> no there's a lot of and just to

104just real quick and then I'll kind of back to you but I mean in something you may pursue as well is there's a bunch of churches and there was at one time there was a group of churches that would meet regularly Um, but maybe reach out to them and see if there's volunteers that would sit on your buses to help with that kind of stuff. And they're probably older people, but they may be free and they may be available for those hours and may not want anything compensation wise. It can save you guys a few bucks. >> Some people do. >> So, I mean, that that's a possibility, too. Or even put it out there volunteers. There's some older folks that want just some attention that they don't have because they're living on their own.

105And, man, you give them two hours a day or four hours a day of helping out. You never know what you get. >> Yeah. >> But help with that application process. >> Yeah. So volunteers. I mean, hey, you never know what you might get. >> It's a good idea. >> Yeah. Two slides left here before. >> Sorry. Did you >> I'll be I'll be quiet now. >> You're fine, Mr. Rose. You and I be a competition, right? Who's going to go the most? >> I'll be quiet now. Administrative code is that for the procedure for terminating the contract, the buses owned by the contractor should be appraised by three qualified appraisers, appointed by the board and approved by the state transportation director and then the succeeding contractor would purchase those buses. That's in the event

106that we were to terminate a contract for the reason stated earlier because that was the question that was brought up. >> Okay. And then um another request was that not do an RMP but re do a request for information which is a process through procurement reaching out to other transportation services in the area to see what are their quotes provide a quote for you know gave them the number of routes just in general. Um we sent them out to student transportation services actually STS to Boone transportation transportation and first student in front of the four one responded immediately and I listed that quote that they provided. Um, but I do want to point out in the yellow there, they are a fullervice uh contractor, meaning that they provide things that our current contractors that we

107are familiar with do not provide. For example, and then I listed them there included in that 3, >> let me see, >> just over three million or three million. Um, they're including the number of routes existing right now minus the two with the district. They do cameras, the routing software, the tablets, the radios, the GPS, and then a whole team to run um the operations. So, an operation manager, a trainer, a coordinator, dispatcher, and some technicians. And so, just I want to point that out that that is a fullervice contract for that amount, just a little over three. whereas you can compare the different to different um not full service in the current contractors that we have. Okay. And so you can take that information. I just that was something that one was pending I

108think we got >> and that's for the whole district or is that just for one route >> for the the number of 31 and the 16? So together though, not including the district activity buses and the the two federals. >> And that again, just to kind of give you an idea, >> we're not comparing apples to apples there because the STS quote included those things that are listed in the B. So it is much higher, but it includes additional. >> It includes more. It includes things that the district is paying for right now. >> Yes. Yes. And that's exactly the point that I was going to make there. you're looking at a little over $3 million for a pretty much full service >> almost everything. >> If you look at >> what we do in

109bus contractors and what we have in DPS as employees and as a department, you're right about that same number. >> We may be a little bit higher than that because of um you know being DPS employees as as was mentioned earlier. You know there's different benefits taxes and stuff like that is being a DPS employee. So that's going to cause that number to be a little bit different, but it's kind of in the same ballpark if you look back and add all >> STS. Yes. >> Call everybody. other other questions that we might have about the to and from? If if not, I'm going to um uh ask uh President Rosco if we could to have a motion for about a five minute recess for a little restroom break, water refill, and then we'll dive

110into the um into the uh activity contracts. Motion to take a fivem minute break. So move. >> I'll second Mr. C. >> Sir, Mrs. PZ, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cameron, >> yes. >> Mrs. Mr. Crumbley. >> Yes. >> Mr. Rosco. >> Yes. >> Mr. C. Yes. Be back in five. I just say thank you for all your input and information. Okay, we're back from break and I'll entertain a motion to go back into second. >> Mr. Crow, >> yes, >> sir. Mr. Rosco, >> yes. >> Mrs. Crumbley, >> yes. >> Mrs. PZ, >> yes. >> Mr. Crow, yes. Mrs. Cameron, >> yes. I don't know if I can. All right, we're back on record. >> And just very briefly, uh we talked about the two and from which is one set of of contracts. Um

111and then uh the um activity items, the activity portion of representations, that's a separate set ofus that are separate from the to and from contracts. um you know on at at on the back of the um packets that you were given are all the uh additionalus and the very last page of your packet for each one describes the um activity bus charges and of course uh Joe and Patty will have some uh um Excel spreadsheets to share with that as well. So Pat >> so Mr. the members of borrowers put this next portion is specifically um directed to the activities portion. So I wanted to start with just kind of giving you an overview of our bus activities bus team. So again just a comparison from last month to this year. Last year we had

112two full-time activity drivers um two subd drivers and then this I take it back 2023 24 and then last year 2425 we had three full-time drivers and three subd drivers. So that did make a huge difference. You're going to see in the numbers in just a little bit. So normally what the district has done is we use a memorandum of understanding to come to agreement with the contractors. Again this is something that's brought to the table at negotiations those rates. In front of your screen you can see what has happened over the last few years. I was able to dig back and find 1819 all the way to current years. So there you can see there's two sections. um the rate per mile for a DPS bus, then the rate per driver, and then the

113contractor bus rate per mile and rate per driver. So, as you can see, this upcoming year, we had said we would stay the same. We would not go up. So last year it was $189 per mile and $19 per driver for a DPS bus and 35 per mile on a contractor bus and $19 per hours on a contractor bus. And so I'll give you just a moment to kind of go through that um and then we'll be open to any questions you have. I know that one of the biggest questions was why if our DPS bus is contracted out why would we have that per mile and we can open it up to for discussion. So let me clarify for the boards are looking at the columns columns D and E that is a contractor

114bus right uh being driven by obviously a contractor driver right of course columns B and C those are DPS buses being driven by um a contractor. So just for clarity purposes there and so um like I said Patty brought up a question that we talked about in leadership um um but before we um you know get some feedback from the contractors on there's anything additional that that that you have about what you're seeing here. >> So why the$189 a mile? >> Okay. So >> yeah. So that is so again that yeah so so uh again um I think for our contractor that that is also um that is also as a as a new super as a new superintendent uh um wasn't involved in in in these discussions. I I had that same question for

115two reasons. Okay. one um in years uh 1819 right 1920 202122 uh there was no rate per mile charge for a contractor to drive one of our buses but other years um there was so as news that's a question that I had why some years yes some years no um and then the second question was why a rate per mile for any reason you would charge a driver to drive our bus. I speculated in my mind what some reasons could be, but I said I should stop speculating because we'll have the we'll have the folks here to um uh to the answer. So, >> so I'll just from my perspective, I cannot speak to the past years, but from 23 on, um what I understood was that when the contractors drive our bus, they refuel

116our bus. So part of that rate per mile is to refuel the DPS bus and then the rest is for um the contractors the over the the driver while the driver is the $19 per hour but after they fuel the bus that is their portion of the the trip pretty much and that's where I'll open it up to them see if they can provide any other instead. So, so the 189 is the is the fuel >> includes the fuel to refuel our bus and then whatever for the drivers or the contractor. >> And you guys are best positioned to answer answer that because that was you know >> and then you guys are paying $19 an hour. >> We are paying >> we're paying the driver plus we're paying per mile. >> But can I

117can I speak to this? So, is it because we're not paying maintenance because our bus our bus? We're gonna pay the maintenance. >> But that but you're right. It's it's less than it's not the $3 because of the fact that it we're not they're not we're not reimbursing them for the maintenance. >> So, you guys are paying your bus drivers $19 an hour when we use their your drivers. >> Yes. >> Patrick not to use. >> Yeah. >> So, that's But no, but we're >> No, we're paying them. >> We're paying the $19. >> No, the driver. So yeah, $19 straight to the driver, >> right? From us, right? From us per hour. >> Plus the pay. So we're obviously you're invoicing us for the $19 per hour the trip, right? Using our bus plus

118the $189. >> Yes. >> Okay. So the question that again I think the board would like some clarity on and I as a new superintendent would like some clarity on uh the the $19. That's not a question, right? That's that's >> We got that covered >> for the time. >> We got that covered, right? for the time our uh my question uh as as a new superintendent is driving our bus um the $189 a mile uh what is that for and why is it there sometimes uh and not there sometimes in the past year. So that's the questions I have is you know >> back to 19 silver cities charging $25 per drivers pretty much the same. I don't know if you guys >> for activity drivers >> two shares kind of ballpark. >> Okay.

119>> That's what I'm charging cash as well. >> Okay. >> 26. >> What? >> Then as far as um 189 that's goes to the field with you guys. We fill up with the F and all that. Then operations as far as drivers on the phone with me. I mean pretty much we taking care of everything, right? Our administrative fee. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And >> so so so that's the 189 the$189 comes your administrative fee. >> Yes. >> And the fuel. And if you do like an in time mean we're not even gaining nothing. We're actually losing. >> So as far as I mean I'm not having the district out putting your arms out for say you're making maybe not. >> How often does this happen? >> So I do have some slides to

120kind of last year again 2324 we had a total of 468 shrimps. Um 71 of them were taken by Mnt and 51 by um Haynes and then we had the total of I'm not sure why the to show there 513 trips 54 of them were taken by Mnt and 20 of them were by Hannes. So the other thing that I was able to provide was this is a sidebyside comparison there that you can see um same information as the piraphphs just kind of together. Now one of the things I do want to point out is thatou for the year 2425 included that we use our DPS bus first. There were some title n issues that we wanted to make sure to cover. I think you remember from last year how we said >> and and

121relate how many buses do we have? >> So we have five activity buses, two spares. >> So we have a total >> of seven >> and the two spares uh Patty talking about are regular regular route style buses. It's not two spare activity buses. >> Oh, there two spare activity buses. Okay. All right. >> But we actually have seven. >> And why why isn't it like split kind of in half there for the activity for Mr. Hannes? go in. >> The district has a lot of snub-nosed buses, not the conventional style buses, and my drivers aren't trained on those. And there's very few of them that are even willing to do it. They just don't feel comfortable in that style of a bus and honestly equitable on some of these trips. By the time I

122pay out the driver, the benefits for the state, the fuel, it's a wash. >> And and we are clear that the bus drivers are getting $19. They are getting the whole $19. >> Yeah. >> And what's the difference between the snub nodes and the and the the conventional? >> Things like that. >> Got the wheels. >> Yeah. The wheels are behind you. So when you turn it's almost greater than you >> and the view mirror. >> Yeah. The front view is completely different. >> Then I'm all train and some of them will take it, you know, they're going. So, so none of you guys have snubnse of them. >> So, >> because we have the more fancier ones, >> but pretty much I can get you license. It's hard to find anybody only has Joan,

123myself, and my wife now. >> Um, testers peak, but I'm going be a tester as well. So, I'll be a tester and a trainer. So then you want train to find someone that trains >> and a lot of them where they can run a conventional bus in channel no problem. But you said loious and a snubnse they get real nervous real quick especially because it's UPS equipment they're real. Yeah. No, they >> I'd rather not. Right. Yeah. >> Okay. I'll fix it. But with the EPS, they're a little more lery, especially when they're not very well training, which I provide the training for them. It's probably on myself. [Music] >> What other questions? those cost of activity have on your mind. So let's do a scenario real quick. So if you guys were taking an

124activity to go to Los Cruuses, there's what 120 miles or so. Um you're paying $19 an hour. So then you would pay we would have to pay $226.80 we're doing obviously. And then how much does it cost to fill up a bus? It doesn't cost $226 to fill up a bus. >> So then the rest of the money is your >> administrative fee. >> But that's to fill the bus, right? That's not that would be if it's empty. But the bus isn't going to feed. >> Yeah. So we'll top it off. >> Yeah. >> What's that? >> Okay. Okay. Yes, I know what that you said that I know what that is. Thank you. >> As I told you on this afternoon, yeah, not my I didn't not my expertise, but yes, I do know

125what fuel is. I do that. I've heard that >> realistically. >> I think um well, you know, uh I know board members may have some more questions and again I think as again, you know, I that was a question that I initially had, right? Some years we went without it, some years we haven't, right? Uh you you've got to please explain to me why on three years on that chart it was we weren't charging any uh extra um we weren't charging a per mile rate for you driving a DPS bus and and then we were what what what changed for you all? >> I mean when I came in we never used a DPS bus. It wasn't a requirement. So it was rotational at the time. Mr. would send his drivers on TPS buses and

126then between MT and H they'd rotate and we would just take our buses. >> That's how we would do that. But we never the only time I think we ever did is they were short drivers or it was a rescue >> and that was it. They requested storage because you got football team you got banned that need storage and their school buses don't have that extra storage and the activity buses do >> and our buses are kept perfect. >> We try. we've got, you know, Pete on there. That that's his. >> So, so there should be no reason we should be using your buses. We should be using ours until we run out >> unless we have all seven of our buses out, which has happened at certain times. You know, we, like I said,

127I going back to that chart, it really did make a difference from the first year I was on with the transportation and only had two full-time drivers and two subs to where last year we had three full-time drivers and three subs. And then even our mechanic, we throw him in the rotation. If we're in a pitch, we pull him from doing mechanic work and we have him drive because he is CDL certified. And so, um, like they mentioned, there was less trips as you can see, um, that they took this last year because number one, I was a little bit better stacked and then number two, Mr. H wasn't able to send drivers either like he mentioned it wasn't affordable to him or um he didn't have the drivers available that would could drive a

128snow. >> So that rate per mile at Adcock and Mr. V. So if we were to put a gas card on the bus that belongs to DPS and then they log mileage starting and ending and how much fuel was added. I mean what does that look like for us? I mean, we we need to make sure we focus that we use our buses. That's why I asked that they're in great great shape, which I know they are. >> That we need to focus on using our buses because um I mean it's a lot at the end of the day when it starts to add up. >> I think the most we've had in a day, and you guys can correct me if I'm wrong, would be about nine trips in one day. We get a

129very busy season between. >> So, our seven and then they would have to bring in the the rest. between October, November when elementary start doing field trips for the fall and then again in March through April, sometimes even into May when they're doing end of the year field trips. Um sports, we all most have most of the fall sports already in there in trip tracker and so um yeah, it's those busy seasons when we can totally use up all of our buses and a few of theirs. >> So Mr. President, you asked about the the fuel if we were to pay that using the same formula that we did for fuel for this year where it's um uh 8 miles per gallon. If we went to cruises at 120 miles, 8 miles to gallon would

130need you 15 gallons. At the 339, that's just shy of $51 that would be for fuel. I'm not sure what death uh would be as part of that. Um I'm sure that's that's a cost. So from your 226 that we talked about earlier minus the 50 you're looking at about about $175 um on that goes towards the death and and their administration >> and overhead and those types of things. >> We would be paying what 200. So on budget, you got to fill up the death every single time cuz on my on my F250, I don't fill it up every single time. >> Well, that's the agreement we have with DPS. We top off the deck and we chop off the >> Oh, >> okay. Now it makes sense. >> Yeah. So the the 226

131is $180 per mile times 120 miles to and from Los Cruz is not getting a lot of runaround time in >> obviously. >> But that's that's what the 226 is that we were talking about. >> Is the $19 an hour you guys pay is that drive time or is that >> that's wait time? That's everything. >> Standby time. >> There's a lot of standby time activities, you know. >> Yeah. But if a storm comes up or something happens, the driver's got to be there. >> And that's where you'll find a lot of times, for example, our wrestling tournaments can last all day long. Drivers are only allotted 15 hours in a day total on duty, including so there's times that either they'll have to send another driver or we send another driver. We try to

132work that out really carefully. But wrestling, sometimes um >> traffic, >> track, >> what else? Baseball, >> tennis, >> baseball last two months. >> Baseball gets close, softball, but mainly wrestling. >> Yes. >> Some of the uh basketball tournaments if they have the weekend basketball tournaments probably will, >> but but it resets if they spend the night. >> Yes, they have to have eight hours of rest before they can be picked up again. >> And and there has been a a handful of times that I remember that we have purchased a hotel room for the driver specifically for that. so that they are are within their time frame. >> Then the driver can't be working say he's a sub baseball coach, baseball coach can't drive a bus. >> Yeah, >> we tried that with some

133of our football coaches. Actually, one of our volleyball coaches, we had her get fully certified because um >> she was always either tennis or volleyball or but because she is also a teacher, we had to count that teaching time as part of the 15 hours. So, we didn't proceed with training any more coaches as we ran into that 15-hour gap of ms. >> Other questions about activity? >> Oh, much trips. >> I I will make one um comment here. Right. Again, in my uh in this new role, superintendent and learning more about transportation um you know, my focus obviously, you know, on all this, right? My focus is really for this was to get the greatest amount of clarity we could for the to and from uh right you know you know school starting um

134you know and being ready being prepared and poised to transport kids and activities is important as well um what uh me and the team didn't have all the opportunity to do on the activity side was just like when I said hey this this um the way we were getting information and providing information the contract for the to and from where we broke it down fuel operation and mainten the three separate parts. Um because that's what we learned with was some other common practice uh in negotiations for other contractors. What I don't know and what the team hasn't been able to find yet is um this is one way that we're getting information like $189 a mile plus $19 an hour um you know for a breakdown for activity buses. I don't know if there's other

135other methods of calculation other contractors may use in presenting to districts on hey this is how we we support um activ you know driving driving activity buses um and so that's something that um you know in future possible negotiations if there's other ways to bring that information to you that that gives the greatest amount of clarity I think that's something that we can do. Mr. Um, we did have one trip uh this last year >> that was not able to be handled by either our drivers or uh the contractors and we got a somebody out of silver I I forget the name and theirs was just a flat rate per hour, >> right? >> They didn't have any mileage. They did charge I mean they did use our bus but they just charged us a

136flat rate per hour. Now, one of the disadvantages there is because they were from out of town. So, they charged us both to coming to get the bus, you know, so that was that was, you know, extra from somebody in town. >> And so, to Mr. Aok's point is again possibly moving forward next year if that if that is something that's a more a more provides you all more clarity, right? then that's something that's something that we can sort of see what's what's common, you know, kind of kind of kind of statewide um uh you know to again you know to make sure our contractors and and and us as a team are are giving the information in the clearest um possible fashion. That's that's what I have attached. >> Correct. >> Same thing with

137them. We try flat rate then >> that's what I'm with. >> Correct. >> Sure. One flat rate but that also includes >> mileage and driving. >> Now I do want to point out that for this year 2526 they did request that we go up on the contractor bus and we just left it. >> As you can see it's the same. So that's what we had negotiated and that's what we had drafted in theus. um that will be on the agenda for Thursday for considerations as well as items. >> Any other questions activity trips because then I think um Patty I think you wanted to talk a little bit about um the discipline uh matrix that that you all presented last year and some and some revisions. Any other questions about activity buses? >> And I

138think it's important that our contractors be here for the um you know for the discipline matrix uh things. I I think a couple things. One, prior to getting this job, I did spend I call it watching the movies. Did spend a lot of time watching uh the last couple years of board meetings and and know that this was definitely something that was important to our contractors and important to our um our our school board and administrators that we have a clear matrix. I think Patty has seen some success um in that. Um I I do believe that uh Patty did go get some feedback uh from school administrators on um you know some some things that we're going to be changing here. This is really relative to the level of offense uh the lower level

139offense and making sure that um you know we we want our kids to be here in school and so for those lower offenses we don't we want to try to see if we can you know give them an opportunity to keep riding the bus a little bit longer. the lower level things. And so, um, I think that was a little bit of the of the, uh, the thought behind that. So, Patty, I'll let you share. You have more information than this than I do. U, but I'll let you share, uh, a little more. >> Yes. Okay. So, what you have before you is just a draft. We're going to talk we're going to be present presenting this to the administrators tomorrow. And then, um, I'm also going to meet with the contractors once if and

140when the contracts are approved. Then we have our first contractor's meeting kind of gather their input, have them go through what the changes are. Um, again, we want to meet in the middle. We know that again with the training like Mrs. Titus has explained that it's important for the drivers to get that training to know how to deal with students as they're driving a bus, which is a big thing for the bus monitors. We want to have extra people on the bus to assist the drivers so that they can drive safely, but then also have that bus management in check. Um, so there's a lot of things that kind of ripple into this. Like I mentioned, the training is huge, but the consequences being able to um again in collaboration with Mnt and then just

141kind of trying to figure out ways to get this out to parents and to the students, they have proposed that and we did it last year that one time in the fall and one time in the spring, we stopped the buses for about 10 15 minutes. We put a PSA out to let parents know, hey, we're going to be running about 15 minutes late today. Um, we're going to be going over the bus matrix and these are the expectations. So, you all know in education that that is powerful. When a teacher stands at the front of the room those first few days, that's what makes the biggest difference in that classroom management. Same applies on the bus. If the drivers can take the pull of that bus and the manner in which they do that,

142letting students know, hey, I'm here to get you home and to school safely, but also these are the non-negotiables. These are the things that you have to do. You have to sit in your chair, you know, limiting it to three or four or five things that you highlight for the students. give them those expectations, hold them accountable, and when they don't, then you write that referral that then their administrators can take care of. If you'll notice in each one of those levels, it is contact parents. So even if it's the first verbal warning from the administrator, the biggest thing right there is making a phone call to parents and letting them know we had a conversation with your child. This is what they did. This is what we asked of them to do. And so

143then proceeding from there. And so feedback from administrators is that we did not want their child off the bus for the rest of the year. You can imagine that it's a child, right? Some of them don't have any other means of getting to school. So we don't want to do that. So that's what you'll see in the proposed changes is the biggest thing there. And then again level two and level three is just the number of days that they are suspended from the bus. Not full just the bus as they get to lunch progressive discipline. Let me pause you here, Patty. Again, refer back to level one, right? A level one offense alone can never result in uh remove from the bus for the year. However, if you keep going on with the level one

144uh violations, very typical in school discipline as well, it moves into a level two. So, repeated level ones become a level two and then again, you keep going up with that, you will eventually end up off the bus, right? but not just immediately um because of three level one offenses. Thank >> you. We want to hear from the drivers that they feel safe on the road being able to ride these students home to school, but then we also want to make it fair for the students and give them adequate opportunities to correct their behavior. If they don't, then you know >> and parents are signing some type of contract or understanding that there the rules for the bus at the beginning of the year. The parents are signing that as well, right? been a campus

145and they agree to the um parents responsibilities and student responsibilities. And like I mentioned earlier, we blast this on Facebook, social media, on our website. We have a copy in the transportation section and then we stop operations for one day. And we last year we also went to the school sites and had assemblies with all of our bus riders. We brought them all into the gym. Miss Bella and I had these short 105 minute assemblies where we reviewed the bus discipline matrix and said you could lose bus privileges. So, make sure you follow the rules. So, we did um we did those things to try to get that notice out to everyone. And it was it was good. It was it wasn't great. It wasn't we still had referrals, but it was better than previous

146years. And that also >> But that was the first year you guys did that, correct? So I mean it takes a little bit to get traction. So I mean >> you know and it's just like the cell phone thing. I mean the the kids at intermediate you know they get by the time they get to Red Mountain it's it's kind of second nature. So it's going to take a process to for them to be understand the same thing. I think you're >> if I might add um the reason for the change in level one is a lot of the feedback from the administrators is they didn't have they didn't feel it was fair to kick them off right like after the third offense. So we kind of tried to create a progressive discipline so that

147it's a little they don't feel so boxed in. >> Yeah. Oh that makes sense. Any other feedback from the school board or uh you know thought of contractors on this on this on this matrix? >> I do have a question. I'm sure you don't have the data with you, but I'm wondering how many kids were actually not allowed to ride the bus or thrown off the bus after this. >> So I don't have the exact data as of the end of the year, but >> you guys have a copy of that >> by about mid >> not yet. We have those provided yet. Um, we had at least 15 that had been removed from the bus >> completely >> out of 2,800 kids. It's not bad. >> Yeah. >> There again, just the previous my

148first year, we had about four or five, >> right? >> Um, the bus, we can never prove that they were banks or things like that, >> but we had Do you remember when that happened? Last year. Luckily, we didn't have it. Oh, >> but if you look at the level, that was part of the thing that we said if we find a way, it's immediate movement to us. Yeah. And so, not only the drivers, but the administrators, you know, in our emphasize that to try to get the point across to school. >> Does that does that start over? >> Yeah. Part of next year, you don't carry it over. There's a couple of things that they go to long-term hearing that may depending on the police, but those are just extenduated. Normally, you get wipes

149clean and you better use fresh starts on your screen. Thank you. >> I think you've done a very good job this year to get things in tech. We tried. We have an amazing transportation team that has been extremely helpful and like I said the collaboration and just get them together >> unless there's any questions from the board or from our contractors. Mr. President, uh you know we're ready to adjourn. >> Any questions from the board comments? >> No, except I think it's been a very productive meeting and we thank you for >> all that. I know it takes time to get it all planned and and I appreciate we all appreciate >> just to echo from the board. I mean, you know, it just it's it's it's an ongoing relationship and and we want to

150make it a fruitful one, you know, but we want also want to be able to um have clear understandings about things. You know, the trainings I know are huge. Um and and the trainings not only are for your bus drivers and for the buses, but if for some reason, god forbid, something happens and we end up in a liability situation, those records are going to come forward. And if if those aren't being met, those requirements, those hours aren't being met, man, the the the buck stops wherever that wasn't done. And so, I just encourage you guys if if if there's any to keep those records and to be complete with them because of the fact that it's not only affects you, it affects this board. and it affects the school district. Um so, uh anything

151that we can do to help facilitate that, we're here to help. Um you know, we want to be able to um go about this the right way and and have a great year. So, >> other questions? I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> To adjourn at 7:31. >> I'll second that. Mr. C. >> Yes, sir. Mrs. PZ, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cameron, >> yes. >> Mrs. Crumbley, >> yes. >> Mr. Rosco, >> yes. >> Mr. Frogs.