Small Town News

Bus contractors take hit after state trims funding

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The Fort Sumner School Board Tuesday approved a cut of more than $67,600 in the district's transportation budget, trimming as much as $5,500 from the paychecks of some local contractors.

Meeting in regular session, the Board voted unanimously to approve the cut, acting on a direct mandate from the Department of Education's Transportation Bureau.

The cut is about four percent of the district's transportation budget for the entire school year. Superintendent Patricia Miller said the cut is especially difficult for bus contractors because the cut must be made in the final five months of the school year instead of spread over the entire year.

The cuts are the result of the state's growing budget deficit for fiscal year 2009-2010. The New Mexico Legislature is now meeting in Santa Fe to address the deficit, as well as to craft a state budget for fiscal year 2010-11 in the face of tumbling revenue projections.

In response to the cuts, the school administration was able to shift more than $42,400 in normal transportation costs to the operational portion of the budget, absorbing about 63 Percent of the impact of the cuts. The remaining $25,196 of the cut was shared among the bus contractors, based on their ridership and miles traveled. The contractors took a hit for the second time in the current school year, after previously seeing reductions in November when the state's fuel allowances were trimmed based on lower than projected gas prices.

"We were blind sided by it," said Yeso area bus contractor Marikay Achen. "This is something we didn't expect, but I guess we'll have to deal with it."

Achen's contract saw a cut of $2,452.

Other cuts included: Glen Russ, $5,572 (two routes); Bobby Russ, $2,682; Windell Bridges, $2,500; Dale Propps $2,748; Maurcenia Cross, $4,768; and Clara Oliver, $1,232.

The cuts could be offset significantly if a $22,000 emergency appropriation received by the school district in the last fiscal year is approved for use. While the money was deposited in the district's account, acknowledgement of the appropriation, which would have cleared the way to spend the funds, had not been received. Miller said the district has continued to request permission to use the funds and if approved, the money will be used to offset the transportation cuts.

Miller said the cuts were especially frustrating after the Transportation Bureau rushed to install GPS tracking devices in all buses in the state in December in the face of the impending budget crisis.

The Board also acted separately on Cross's contract, which was unanimously increased by $4,250 based on the addition of three new students in the south end of De Baca County. The new students increased her daily miles and her reimbursement, but faced with the state cuts, her contract will still decline by more than $500.

In other business Monday, the School Board with all members present:

Approved out-of-state travel for the FSHS anatomy and physiology class to visit labs at Texas Tech University.

Approved the Board's Open Meetings Resolution for the 2010 calendar year.

Approved a resolution granting health insurance eligibility for part-time employees working more than 15 hours per week.

Heard Miller report on ongoing construction projects.

Discussed starting the March meeting early, or having more than one meeting in March, to begin working on the school budget for 2010-11.

The process is currently stalled until the New Mexico Legislature completes work on the state budget in Santa Fe.



Copyright 2010 De Baca County News, Fort Sumner, New Mexico. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 De Baca County News Fort Sumner, New Mexico. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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