Monday, April 30, 2012
Layoffs coming for more than 110 after West Bloomfield school leaders approve three-year contracts with two private companies to manage their services.
On an issue in which there were "no winners," the West Bloomfield School Board of Education voted 7-0 Monday night to outsource transportation and custodial services beginning in the fall. It's a move that will save the district almost $6 million over the next three years and in a time when the district is facing difficulties with budget cuts in non-instructional school services from Lansing, one that board members said was necessary. It was a vote wrapped in emotion: Board members and a crowd of about 100 people listened for almost an hour as transportation employees pleaded with the board to keep their jobs. "As a 12-year bus driver in Walled Lake who took major concessions last year and faced privatization, I would urge you ... the …
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/school-board-votes-to-privatize-busing-custodians
718206
/locations/6928789
They will decide whether to sign contracts for custodial and transportation services.
For the past two months, West Bloomfield School District Board of Education members have been researching the potential hiring of private companies for the district's transportation and custodial services. It's a move that administrators say would save the district up to $5.7 million over three years, and in a time when the district is facing difficulties with budget cuts in non-instructional school services from Lansing, one that is necessary to at least consider. But some parents, along with employees of the custodian and transportation departments, have expressed concerns with the outsourcing of individuals who will be in such close contact with students. Those pros and cons will be debated at a 7 p.m. regular school board meeting …
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/west-bloomfield-school-board-to-vote-on-privatizing-tonight
718206
/locations/6901929
Monday, April 23, 2012
Gretchko Elementary School parent comments on privatization issue.
- SCHOOLS
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Monday, April 23, 2012
I don’t think most West Bloomfield parents are aware that when school starts in the fall, their children are likely be driven to school by a private company, possibly headquartered overseas. The West Bloomfield school district is about to fire all transportation and custodial staff and outsource these services to two private companies. The reason? They want to save money. The private company will then hire back most of the drivers but pay them less and give them much less benefits. That is the entire issue in a nutshell. It’s one of the most major decisions ever taken in the school district’s history. And they are spending less than 60 days from start to finish in making this decision with very little input from the local community. This …
42.60778
-83.38909
Gretchko Elementary School
5300 Greer Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/letter-west-bloomfield-school-board-rushing-decision
717950
/locations/6853916
Friday, April 20, 2012
As the local school board moves ahead with the possibility of privatizing transportation and custodial services, residents and workers sound off.
West Bloomfield Schools are in the throes of researching privatizing transportation and custodial services which at least on the surface appears to be a lose-lose situation. For a decision which board of education leaders say cannot be made strictly on the rationale of working to fix the district's less than $1 million fund balance, interviews have been conducted with contractors which could essentially cut benefits and wages for staff or have them replaced by others. Although there have been no layoffs due to privatizing since Patch began covering the story in February and the possibility of contract implementation is scheduled for July, readers and the public have been putting in their two cents' worth on what will no doubt prove an …
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/how-does-west-bloomfield-feel-about-privatizing
718206
/locations/6840715
42.58971
-83.39831
West Bloomfield Schools Administrative and Community Services Building
5810 Commerce Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/how-does-west-bloomfield-feel-about-privatizing
717738
/locations/6840716
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The school district hosts transportation employees who voice concerns over the proposed solution to a low fund balance.
The West Bloomfield School Board discussed outsourcing busing and custodial services in front of about 50 employees Tuesday night after hearing last week that West Bloomfield Schools could save an estimated $5.7 million over three years by contracting such services. Two companies were interviewed last week that potentially would manage bus drivers, custodians and other workers in the district. In an era of balancing budget woes — West Bloomfield School District has an estimated fund balance of less than $1 million this year — with community needs, the board and administration discussed outsourcing at its meeting Tuesday at West Bloomfield High School. "I think the time has come for this kind of decision as a result of the district having …
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/west-bloomfield-moving-forward-with-privatization-of-bus-drivers-custodians
718206
/locations/6824158
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
'Students get hurt' when school bus drivers lacking in experience get behind the wheel, said one advocate against outsourcing service jobs in West Bloomfield Schools.
Those concerned about a proposed plan to outsource service positions such as bus drivers and custodians in the West Bloomfield School District dominated Monday night's Board of Education meeting with passionate pleas. Public comments came from more than 10 people, some not associated with the district, at the meeting in Gretchko Elementary School. More than 50 others sat quietly in the audience, except when they gave loud applause to those who methodically stated their cases. They all wore bright orange pins with the word "privatization" with a slash through it. "These (service) people have an important role in educating our children," said Troy Beasley, a teacher in the Waterford School District. "Outsourcing is not good for our students …
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/school-board-hears-concerns-against-privatizing
718206
/locations/6853896
42.60778
-83.38909
Gretchko Elementary School
5300 Greer Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/school-board-hears-concerns-against-privatizing
717950
/locations/6853897
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
West Bloomfield School District administration will at least begin to follow the lead of other area districts in seeking a proposal.
The West Bloomfield School District voted Monday to investigate the possibility of privatizing positions for custodians, bus drivers and transportation services for students. The board voted unanimously at its Monday meeting to authorize a request from the administration for proposals. The vote was preceded by concerns from board members who acknowledged a large gathering of district employees and union representatives at Ealy Elementary School. The board passed the resolution to "divert as little funding from the educational programs are possible." Several board members mentioned a desire to keep a strong, personal level of trust between the staff and students. "We don't know the potential value of privatization — it's going to depend …
42.54324
-83.34972
Ealy Elementary School
5475 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/quick-hits-school-board-to-investigate-privatizing-custodians-transportation-staff
717577
/locations/6853895
Timothy Rath
11:40 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Hi, NWeinberg, I'm sorry, I had left a comment here directed towards you but it appears it's gone ... anyway, I wanted to let you know that I had deleted a previous comment due to a personal attack which is a violation of terms of service. I'm closing comments to this story. On other stories surrounding this issue, let's try to keep discussion on topic. more ›