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Audit praises new in‑house transportation department but flags fiscal and operational issues; board weighs bus‑barn options
Summary
An independent audit praised the district's rapid development of an in‑house transportation department but cited fiscal pressures after a $266,332 funding reduction and recommended 12 major improvements. Board members discussed bus‑barn lease costs (about $4,000/month reported) and estimated a on‑site bus barn cost range of roughly $242,000–$423,000; they asked administration for a 6‑month cost breakdown and baseline yearly cost for planning.
Transportation Director Gary Jamba told the board that auditors recognized the district's progress in standing up an in‑house transportation operation but recommended improvements across payroll, overtime, maintenance schedules, route review and bus‑barn operations. Jamba noted the district had inherited aging buses and that litigation with a former contractor over the transfer remains ongoing. He said the district had hired roughly 24 drivers and staff and worked with the state to secure additional buses and purchases.
Board members pressed for clearer cost baselines. One board member said the auditors had provided some cost figures but asked staff to supply a six‑month cost breakdown (lease, utilities, fuel) for the off‑site bus barn; administration reported the current off‑site rent as about $4,000 monthly. The packet included an auditor estimate that a new on‑site bus barn could cost in the range of approximately $242,000 to $423,000; board members asked the administration to identify potential funding sources (general obligation bond, state grants) and to evaluate route ridership, overtime controls and communication strategies to improve predictability for families.
