Live reporting by
Wittman Sullivan
Board discusses and finalizes plan for van drivers for 2024-2025 school year

The meeting started at 4:18 PM with Diana Autry, Job Perry, Barbara Sykes, Summer Hall, and Bruce Alexander Present

An APS van driver (ICO) said that they are efficient transporting students. He said they are using an "antiquated" system that will not be fixed by the new transportation vendor. She said the van drivers have been regulation compliant for over 50 years education.ohio.gov/Topics/Finance…
education.ohio.gov/Topics/Finance…

An ICO said they have to pay for their vehicles expenses. She said the van drivers are paid $3.7 million to transport over 1200 student She said there are issues with van driver management regarding bad staffing and pay issues akronschools.com/divisions/tran…
akronschools.com/divisions/tran…

A community member said it is concerning that Business Affairs has so many issues with contracts An ICO said they will continue to vote and possibly run for office. He said they are working without raises to transport the most in need students akronschools.com
akronschools.com

Angela Carter (Chief of Staff) said the board needs to ensure that transportation needs are met (1200 students and up to 210 routes). She said there are 122 drivers which is not enough. She said Templeton Transportation LLC is needed to supplement ICOs

She said the board has the options to approve a year long contract with Templeton to supplement ICOs, reject all bids, or open up a new RFP for the 2025-26 school year She said the administration recommends approval of the contract with Templeton

A staffer said there are 112 eligible drivers for the start of the school year which isn't enough to service the district Hall asked how many drivers Templeton has and if they will be able to meet district needs templetontransportation.com
templetontransportation.com

Robinson said the RFP requires vendors to have 10 vans but has no driver requirements Sykes said the board has already rejected Templeton. She said only the board has the power to determine the lowest and most responsive bidder, not the administration. akronschools.com/divisions/purc…
akronschools.com/divisions/purc…

She said this proposal was already rejected in July. She said all contracts must be board approved and that the administration is acting out of order. She said this is an insult to board and the community beaconjournal.com/story/news/loc…
beaconjournal.com/story/news/loc…

Robinson said he's spoken with Templeton since the last meeting about the year-long contract, which he said he has the authority to do Sykes said the board's rejection of Templeton was clear and that it is inequitable for Robinson to only speak with Templeton

Robinson said there is not an option to only use van drivers because there are not enough van drivers for the start of the school year He said if the board rejects the contract with Templeton then they can renew the contracts with the same companies from the 2023-24 school year

Robinson said there isn't an option to only use ICOs because there aren't enough for the start of the school year He said if the board rejects the Templeton contract then they can renew the 2023-24 contracts

Perry moved to detain item 4.1 from the table Autry said there will be no discussion for an untabled item Sykes asked where that rule comes from A staffer said it is Roberts Rules of Order but that the board is not legally bonded to Robert Rules of Order

Sykes requested a discussion Autry asked for topic discussion but said that discussion was out of order Alexander moved to approve the contract Sykes asked Stephen Thompson (Chief Financial Officer and Parliamentarian) to read Item 4.1 Thompson read Item 4.1

Sykes said the board has rejected Templeton before and she intends to keep rejecting it. She said the company has no previous experience and that this first time contract for the company is irresponsible

Alexander confirmed that Templeton would only be a supplement and not a replacement for ICOs Hall said the language of the item says nothing about it being a supplemental service Autry said contracts with ICOs and Metro RTA have already been approved

Alexander asked for a vote and said that everything is too confusing He asked Thompson to read the item again Thompson read Item 4.1 Perry moved that language is added that makes the contract supplemental only Thompson updated, and read the updated language

The amendment to the language passed unanimously Item 4.1 with the updated language passed unanimously Autry said the rest of the agenda items were there in case the Templeton Contract was not approved, so there would be nothing else to vote on during the meeting

The meeting ended at 5:52 PM. The next Akron Public School Board Meeting will be August 12th at 5:30 PM at the Administration Building (10 N. Main St.) For more coverage check out Akron.documenters.org
Akron.documenters.org

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