Bethel BOE discusses transportation, traffic changes

BETHEL TOWNSHIP- Members of the Bethel Local Schools Board of Education discussed signage changes and other possible adjustments to traffic patterns at school buildings, during their regularly scheduled meeting held on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

“Two days in, there are some simple things we’re going to do,” Interim Superintendent Mike Nutter said. “You’ll see some signage going up.”

Possible changes could include the addition of designated parent and student lanes, as well as changes to entrances along State Route 201, Nutter said.

Board members also heard an update on a bus that broke down on Monday, Aug. 19, and discussed possible ways to eliminate current double routes in the district, including purchasing additional buses and hiring additional drivers.

“We had a bus break down Monday morning,” Nutter said. “We’ve got to take care of the fleet. One of the busses we use daily has 300,000 miles on it.”

“We’re working on transportation,” he said. “We’re growing, and transportation is a piece of that.”

“We don’t have the staff or the fleet at this point to get rid of double routes,” Nutter said. “We’ve got to hire three drivers and add two busses to get rid of double routes.”

Board members also approved a contract for a BusRight busing and transportation software package, which will help schedule routes and includes tablets for district bus drivers.

“This is an all-in-one solution,” Transportation Supervisor Jacob Wilhite said. “I’m really excited about it; I think it will really make a huge difference in the district.”

In other business, board members also approved the district’s upcoming annual 5th grade trip to Camp Kern. They also approved the appointment of board member Rachael Kiplinger to serve as the district’s delegate for the annual OSBA business meeting and board member Natalie Donahue to serve as an alternate.

Board members also discussed possible sites for future additions or new school buildings that could be constructed in the future.

“This needs to have some real foresight put into it this year,” Nutter said.

He said the district’s current buildings were designed for growth, and the district currently has approximately 150 acres of land available for new construction.

 “It was designed to be built out, which is good,” he said. “There’s room to build new or add-on.”

“You’re not going to see this huge growth next year, but it’s coming,” Nutter said. “I just think we need to get ready.”

Board members went on to vote against the hiring of Don Black for the position of part-time school bus driver. Board members Jackie Leskowich and Regan Butler voted for Black’s employment as a bus driver; board members Natalie Donahue, Andrew Vieth and Rachael Kiplinger voted against hiring Black.

“I went to Bethel all four years as did my four siblings,” Don Black said during the public comment portion of the meeting. “I graduated in 1974.”

“I got my driver’s license 52 years ago, and in 52 years, I’ve never had an accident that was my fault,” he said. “I have had a Class A CDL license for 34 years and never had an accident.”

“I have a school bus endorsement and a passenger endorsement,” Black said. “I could drive tomorrow, so I was a little bit surprised that I would be turned down to drive in this school district.”

“I got interested in the position only because I had talked to people, and they said there was a shortage,” he said.

Nutter said he had recommended Black’s employment to the board.

“I recommended you,” he said.

“Not hiring you this evening is going to impact the district, and the double routes,” Board President Jackie Leskowich said, “but we need a majority vote from the board.”