- April 26, 2024
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The School Board agreed to sell four of its oldest buses to St. Joseph’s Academy and Palm Harbor Academy. The sale will bring a total of $20,000 in sales and savings.
Supervisor of Transportation Bruce Preece presented to the School Board Tuesday, Sept. 6, a proposal to sell the district’s four oldest buses to St. Joseph’s Academy, in St. Augustine, and Palm Harbor Academy, both of which have submitted purchase offers.
The board unanimously agreed to sell.
“Buses just sitting and not being used cost money,” Preece said, noting that the four in question — one 1993 74-passenger Blue Bird to St. Joseph’s and three 1990 88-passenger Blue Birds to Palm Harbor — each average less than 400 miles of road time per year.
Every district bus requires monthly inspection and intermittent service, Preece said, which costs about $2,000 per year.
The four buses will sell for $3,000 each, bringing the district $12,000 in sale profits and $8,000 in maintenance/inspection savings.
“These buses can continue to operate; they’re safe; they’re well maintained,” Preece said. “Our garage does a tremendous job maintaining them.”
Employee assistance fund takes root
Earlier this year, at the June 7 School Board meeting, School Board member John Fischer proposed the creation of a charitable foundation to benefit financially ailing instructors, which he tentatively titled the “Save Education, Save an Employee” fund.
“This isn’t from your paycheck; this is from your heart,” he told the crowd, as he wrote the first of two personal checks to the foundation.
At the Sept. 6 workshop, the board began ironing out guidelines for the foundation.
To be eligible for funds, employees must have served Flagler schools for an amount of time to be determined. No employee can receive more than $1,000 per year, and each must have suffered natural disaster, theft, spousal loss of employment, loss of property or other hardship.
Donations also will be sought predominantly from school employees for school employees, Superintendent Janet Valentine said.
Remaining specifics will be finalized at the Sept. 20 meeting.
Superintendent outlines goals
Superintendent Janet Valentine presented a four-point list of goals for the 2011-2012 school year, Sept. 6, at a workshop.
Improving communications with board members, staff and the community topped her list, next to strengthening district morale by implementing a 24-hour call/email response system, as well as public relations training for support staff.
Valentine also plans to develop a reporting system for student achievement, attendance and discipline, including a return-on-investment dynamic.
Last of the four, the superintendent plans to write and issue surveys for parents and staff, for consideration in future improvement projects. Survey reports will be presented on the district’s website.
Still in draft form, three of the superintendent’s four goals will be revised before adoption.
Millage rate/budget adopted
The School Board held its final public hearing to adopt a tentative millage rate of 8.031, or $8.03 per $1,000 of taxable property value, and a budget of $148,421,819 preceding the Sept. 6 regular meeting.
Finance Director Tom Tant reviewed each proposal. No residents took the podium for comment.
Last year’s millage rate was 8.013.
IN BRIEF
+ Hanson questions Youth Orchestra funding increase
Listed on the School Board’s Sept. 6 consent list was a renewal of the Flagler Youth Orchestra Strings Program for its seventh year, for a total district cost of $55,250.
The renewal included a stipulation that the Friends of the Youth Orchestra will cover an extra $8,775, for contract costs and expenses.
Katie Hanson, president of the teachers union, questioned the renewal, saying budget cuts require all programs to sacrifice.
The motion to renew the program carried unanimously.
