Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
School board declines to authorize negotiations with First Student after lengthy debate
Summary
After extended public comment and a detailed presentation from First Student about buying the district fleet and operating transportation, the Merrimack Valley School Board voted 5–6 on April 6 against authorizing administrators to negotiate a five‑year contract; board members and bus drivers had raised concerns about asset sales, benefits and long‑term leverage.
The Merrimack Valley School Board on April 6 considered a proposal that would have had First Student buy the district bus fleet and operate student transportation under a proposed five‑year contract. First Student representatives said the package would include a roughly $1.3 million purchase of the fleet and estimated potential in‑district savings of $300,000–$500,000 a year; the company proposed a five‑year agreement with a 4% annual increase in years two through five and outlined proposed driver pay and bonuses.
Pamela Dunlap, a district bus driver, told the board she has built ties to students and would be unlikely to stay if the district’s service was no longer run by the Merrimack Valley School District. "I would just really, really be sad if it wasn't under the Merrimack Valley School District anymore," Dunlap said during public…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
