Thursday, April 11, 2013
Though projected savings have now increased to $1.5 million if D15 outsources bus services, Superintendent Scott Thompson says the highest safety standards for students is paramount, and outsourcing is only one option.
Though the gap between projected cost savings estimated by District 15 and the DTU continues to grow, the school district is hopeful that future negotiations with the bus driver’s union will be productive in the way of safety standards. At the school board meeting Wednesday, Durham Bus Services presented their bid to the school board. According to Superintendent Scott Thompson, savings by outsourcing which were previously estimated at $1.3 million over three years, have now risen to $1.5 million. “We’re doing our best in the way that we are calculating our numbers; the Illinois State Board of Education is providing us with information on what expenses are reimbursable,” Thompson said. Thompson added that the goal is still to sit down and…
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Joseph M. Kiszka Educational Service Center
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Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A number of newsworthy information came out early Tuesday regarding a hit-and-run accident involving a D15 bus driver, and statements from both the school district and District 15 Transportation Union.
It's a tense time as District 15 considers outsourcing bus services, in addition to continuing negotiations with the District 15 Transportation Union (DTU) to agree on a final contract. A hit-and-run accident involving close to 30 junior high school students and a District 15 bus driver occurred on Monday. The driver was terminated Tuesday, which caused a flurry of communications between the school district and the DTU. Early report on Tuesday regarding the hit-and-run accident. DTU makes a statement regarding the termination of the bus driver. District 15 responds to DTU statement. District 15 to present report on savings with bus outsourcing, DTU challenges the numbers. The District 15 school board will be meeting tonight at Sundling…
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Joseph M. Kiszka Educational Service Center
580 N 1st Bank Dr, Palatine, IL
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013
A presentation planned for Wednesday's school board meeting shows $1.3 million in savings if the district outsources; DTU says D15 is incorrect, and they will use 'every legal option available' if outsourcing is utilized.
At Wednesday's school board meeting, a presentation is planned that, according to District 15, shows outsourcing bus services will save the school district $1.3 million over the next three years. The presentation, to be given by Mike Adamczyk, assistant superintendent for business and auxiliary services, shows reimbursements are heavily relied upon whether they are reported for in-house busing or outsourcing, each year between $5 and $6 million is estimated as reimbursable costs. In each of the scenarios, reimbursement figures are higher for outsourcing than they are for in-house transportation. The information also shows that savings will incrementally rise if the school district utilizes outsourced busing: District 15 Transportation …
Monday, April 8, 2013
Palatine resident Steve Bramer discusses the safety records, and compares them between District 15 and Durham School Services.
Recent articles in the Daily Herald and the Patch have presented information about District 15 transportation safety. The articles include numbers, but little detail. Interestingly, the two articles report from the same source but actually show different numbers. Even worse, neither article provides significant information on safety for Durham School Services. This is important because District 15 is considering outsourcing transportation, and Durham’s is the only bid still under consideration. The following compares D15 vs Durham transportation safety records. The Durham information is publicly available, and the D15 numbers are from an FOIA request. All information covers the same time frame as reported in the papers (1 Jan 2013 through…
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The tension between District 15 and the District 15 Transportation Union continues to grow; both dispute how the bid from Durham Student Services differs from staying in-house, and alleged safety issues relating to current drivers.
District 15 and the District 15 Transportation Union (DTU) appear to be at odds over all the details involved in the debate on whether to outsource bus services or continue using in-house bus drivers in the school district. After a second, and sole bid was received from Durham School Services, both sides are interpreting the final numbers, and what they mean to the school district, differently. “The DTU demonstrated it actually costs taxpayers [more than] $2.8 million over three years to replace in-house drivers with outsourced drivers,” said Carin Ulrich, DTU president in a press release dated Sunday, April 7. Ulrich elaborated on the $2.8 million figure, stating that it takes into account non-reimbursable expenses that the school …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Four District 15 board members vote yes, and three abstained in the vote to send out reduction in force notices to district transportation employees.
Emotions were riding high at the District 15 board meeting Wednesday night, as more than a dozen people-both parents and bus drivers-and in some cases both, came before the board to voice their opposition and the perceived impact of outsourcing bus services. In the end, four school board members voted in favor of sending out Reduction in Force [RIF] notices to bus drivers, bus driver assistants and secretaries. Three board members abstained from the vote. At issue, in part, was an email sent out by District 15 on Thursday, February 28, which provided an update from the school district on contract negotiations with the District 15 Transportation Union (DTU). "I would like to request that the people responsible for this email, resign …
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Last week, negotiations between the District 15 Transportation Union and the District 15 negotiating team hit some bumps. Read on to see what happened, and when the groups plan to meet again.
Late last week, District 15 and the District 15 Transportation Union (DTU) sent out back-to-back statements, respectively, relating to the status of contract negotiations to possibly keep busing for D15 students in-house. Simultaneously, D15 also is considering outsourcing the service. Information on this subject, subsequently received in the last several days by Palatine Patch, causes the situation to remain somewhat, unclear. What is verifiable is that on Monday, February 25, initial negotiations were held between D15 and the DTU. A proposal was given to DTU by D15, which was to be followed up on at a meeting on Wednesday, February 27. On February 27, the DTU came back and asked about a number of provisions in the previous contact …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
District 15 Transportation Union President responds to late Thursday statement from District 15 regarding the status of negotiations regarding possible outsourcing of busing services for students.
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Thursday, February 28
Statement from Carin Ulrich, DTU President To: The District 15 Community Re: Response to District 15 “Update on DTU Negotiations” Date: February 28, 2013 The District 15 Transportation Union is both saddened and stunned by the statement sent by the District to the school community this evening. The District should be ashamed of itself for this type of behavior. Sadly, this behavior is just one example of what we’ve been dealing with for the past six months. Over the past three years, the DTU has continually reached out to the District with a spirit of collaboration and problem-solving. When negotiating dates were established, we clearly committed to four dates and were fully prepared to finish contract negotiations by the fourth …
Negotiations have become strained between the District Transportation Union and District 15. A statement has been sent out to all District 15 households updating them on the most recent developments from the school district's perspective.
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Thursday, February 28
Statement from District 15: Dear District 15 Community member, As you are probably aware, the District is investigating the best way to provide safe, efficient, professional and reliable transportation services for the children it serves. The Board is currently negotiating with the DTU (District Transportation Union) to obtain a collective bargaining agreement. Simultaneously, the Board is seeking bids for outsourcing transportation to use in evaluating the best option for transporting our students. The Board and the administration wanted to update you on the current status of this process. Below are a list of myths and facts that will help you understand the current status of negotiations with the DTU. As you will see, the DTU has …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The District 15 school board learned two companies out of five bid on outsourcing of bus services, and heard concerns from parents, bus drivers and union representatives.
The District 15 Board of Education Tuesday learned two companies have provided bids to outsource bus services, and they also heard from a several people saying it just shouldn’t be done. Unease about the proposal to hire a private company for busing services focused mainly on safety issues, in addition to breaking up what is described as a strong community of drivers who not only work in the district, but are community members. “Parents know us as drivers, they know we are safe, professional,” said John Hall, a District 15 bus driver for the last five years. “People that work for these private companies have no reason to stay-poor wages, poor benefits, no major medical-you will produce a transient workforce.” Hall went on to say he is not …
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Joseph M. Kiszka Educational Service Center
580 N 1st Bank Dr, Palatine, IL
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John Parker
1:09 pm on Sunday, April 21, 2013
http://www.durhamschoolservices.com/ContactUs/tabid/61/Default.aspx Contact them directly. They will be able to answer all your concerns. more ›