Perryville district likely will save money with new bus pact

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- After Meyer Bus Line rejected a one-year contract with Perry County School District No. 32 last week, the board voted Monday night to begin a lease with Midwest Bus Sales for the 2014-2015 school year that likely will save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The board also approved offering an assistant superintendent contract to Jeanie White to replace Russell Leek, who is retiring.

The transportation pact comes after several weeks of discussion. The lease with Midwest Bus Sales starts July 1, and the company bid $1,183,192 bid for 40 buses with three cameras on board each.

The board will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the multipurpose room of the Career Center to discuss adding a district transportation director and mechanic, driver wages, fuel and insurance costs, according to information from the district.

Meyer Bus Line, which according to a letter from superintendent Scott Ireland to parents, has provided transportation to the district for more than 60 years, will continue to do so through June 30. The district's contract with Meyer costs $1.863 million a year, which includes drivers for its 28 regular bus routes, two special service routes and four to five early childhood buses, Ireland has said.

Every three to five years, Ireland wrote, the district is required by law to open its transportation contract for public bidding.

This year, two companies offered leases that would save the district more than $600,000 compared to its current contract with Meyer, and more than $400,000 compared to the bid Meyer submitted for the upcoming year, Ireland's letter said.

"This has been a particularly difficult process for board members, school administrators and our friends at Meyer Bus Line. The bottom line is that Meyer Bus Line will no longer provide bus services to District 32 after the current contract ends on June 30," the letter said.

Brad Moll, who co-owns Meyer Bus Line with his wife, Christine, said the company has had a "great working relationship" with Perry County District No. 32. " ... We wish them well on their new endeavor and hope they have a smooth [transition] and everything works out well for them," Moll said.

Meyer Bus Line also provides transportation for the Ste. Genevieve school district and transports 50 to 60 parochial school students for a $225 for each student a year, Moll said. By state law, public school districts cannot provide transportation to parochial students for free.

Meyer buses pick up parochial school students in the morning and take them to school. In the afternoon, students are driven back to the bus lot where they get on another Meyer bus to take them home, Moll said.

Board President Kevin Bachmann said after a previous meeting that arrangements for parochial students will have to be worked out. Moll said his company is supposed to meet with the parochial schools about transportation, they'll likely discuss providing transportation to and from special activities.

New assistant superintendent

Leek is retiring June 30 after seven years with the district. He oversees food services, transportation, health offices and personnel for District 32, Kate Martin, public information/marketing director said in an email to the Southeast Missourian.

White, who is junior high principal and seventh- to 12th-grade instructional leader at LaClede County R-1 in Conway, Mo., was chosen from more than 20 applicants for the assistant superintendent's position, Martin said. White did not return a call or email for comment.

The district's administrative team met with three candidates and Ireland recommended White to the board. The board offered her a contract at Monday's meeting, Martin wrote. She added she couldn't say what White's salary would be yet, as the contract has not been signed yet. She said contract signings usually occur two weeks after a contract is issued.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address: 326 College St., Perryville, MO