GREEN RIVER — During the Sweetwater County School District (SCSD) No. 2 Board meeting last night, the trustees were informed by the transportation department that at least one bus route may need to be eliminated for Harrison Elementary School.

During the presentation on the bus stop approval agenda item, Transportation Supervisor Rachel Todd addressed the board saying that after reviewing the state’s walking radius requirements, it appears at least three bus stops may need to be eliminated.

Todd said they were reviewing the routes mores closely when they realized they are going to continue to see a decrease in the number of bus drivers they have. According to Todd, after this school year is over, they will be down three route drivers and during this school year there have been times when those in the office have had to drive busses.

“We are looking at the removal of three bus stops that can be determined to be in the walk boundary,” Todd said.

The stops the district is looking at eliminating are Hoback and Wind River which will impact four students, West Virginia and Hitching Post, impacting 16 students and Pheasant, impacting three students who all live on Upland Way. Administrative Assistant and Coordinator Tabatha Eychner said each of those stop is a 1/2 mile walk and the statute does say a 1 mile radius.

Chairman Steve Core wanted to know if the residents whose children would be impacted by the bus stop elimination were notified yet. Todd said they have not been notified at this time and wanted to make the board aware of it first and see if it was something that would be supported.

Under Wyoming’s Chapter 20-Rules for Cost–Based Block Grant Model Transportation reimbursement there are certain criteria and standards for determining eligible pupil transportation operation. The minimum standard states a specific walk distance from schools, in which bussing is not to be provided. “The radius refers to a circle drawn on a flat map with the front door of the school being at the center of the circle. The walk distance refers to the shortest safe walking path,” the letter states.

State Walk Distance Rules:

• 1 mile radius of all Elementary & Intermediate schools / 1.2 mile walk distance.
• 1.5 mile radius of all Junior High school / 1.7 mile walk distance.
• 2 mile radius of all High schools / 2.2 mile walk distance

Core wanted to know how much it would cost the district if they continued with the bus routes and didn’t receive reimbursement for them.

“As far as reimbursability I don’t know that it effects that,” Todd said. “Unless we were to get audited and somebody wanted to point out that maybe we were not following our walk guidance.”

Eychner said none of the stops will be reimbursable because there are crossing guards available for those students on the way to school. The crossing guards for this area are at Alabama Street in front of the school, East Teton Boulevard and Alabama Sstreet, and West Teton Boulevard at the Greenbelt.

“God, I hate to do this without them being informed,” Core said about approving the bus routes. “I think it can come back and bite us.”

Eychner said they may also need to remove at least three routes by next year if they can’t find drivers for the routes, but wanted to move forward with this one route now.

The board gave Todd the direction to move forward with notifying the those whose children being impacted through a letter explaining that their bus stop will probably be eliminated at the next board meeting in June. Core said this way the families have been notified prior to the board taking action.

Other Business

The Board listened to a request from BOCES 5 Executive Director Day Mayer asking the board how they would feel about increasing their mill levy contribution from .2 to .5 mills to help pay for needed maintenance to the C-V Ranch in Wilson. The facility can’t run at capacity until maintenance has been completed. The mill levy would only be increased for five to six years and then go back to .2 mills. However, the district can return to .2 during any regular budgeting session.

Chairman Core said he would like to inform the public about the proposed tax increase which he figured would go from around $10 a year to $20 per year per resident. He also wanted to make sure the local mines were aware of the proposed increase since they provide the biggest tax base to the community.

The board plans to host a special meeting on June 13 at 6:15 p.m. prior to their regular meeting to speak with mine representatives and answer questions about the proposed mill levy. In the meantime, Mayer will make sure the board has informational packets to give to mine representatives.