WANTED: Bus Drivers

ST. MARYS - District officials have turned to school staff to grab the wheel in buses as the COVID-19 pandemic drove a pre-existing shortage to an even worse extent.

School board members on Wednesday approved paying a stipend to willing staff members who are licensed to drive a bus.

The resolution, which would make the stipend retroactive to Nov. 16 for district employees, was done "in response to the severe shortage of bus drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic," according to the resolution.

A driver shortage is a common issue for local school districts, but St. Marys superintendent Bill Ruane said Wednesday the issue had been amplified by the pandemic.

"I think it's no secret. If you've seen the signs around town, or if you've been anywhere near Dan (Grothause), anybody in the community the last two years, he's tried to sign you up for bus driving," Ruane said, referring to the district's director of transportation. "We, like every district in Ohio, are facing a severe shortage of bus drivers."

The problem was especially apparent before Thanksgiving break but has continued over the past week as well, according to Ruane. Staff members who are trained and licensed to drive buses, including secretaries and other office staff as well as Grothause were called upon to help. In doing so, officials are pulling them away from their normal duties and putting even more duties on their plate, Ruane said.

Officials have a list of substitute bus drivers they prefer to use before turning to staff, but when staff members are used, the stipend would compensate them by the same amount as any other substitute bus driver for the work.

Driving the occasional bus route could be seen as one of Grothause's regular duties, but Ruane said if a time comes when the district is relying on Grothause "day in and day out" to drive buses, he should be fairly compensated.

To avoid shutting down the district for lack of transportation, additional administrators may called upon to operate buses if more community members don't offer their services.

In other business, Ruane said officials intend to keep the district open, despite a statement from the Ohio Education Association recommending educators shut down in-person learning until Jan. 11. The OEA is a statewide teachers' union.

Ruane said he'd discussed the matter with the St. Marys Education Association, the district's teachers' union, and had looked at the district's coronavirus numbers.

"It just doesn't make sense for us to do it locally. Actually, our numbers are the best they've been since the beginning of October," he said.

An average of 10 students are quarantined per building, Ruane said. Most of those cases are reportedly due to contact with COVID-19 at home. If the situation changes, the administrators would decide based on local data and what they believed was right for the district.

Board members also approved a resolution authorizing the issuance of up to $14.31 million in bonds to refund all or portions of bonds issued in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Refunding bonds is a way to refinance bonds, which the district is considering possibly to secure lower interest rates.

The resolution approved on Wednesday does not lock the district into the process. If interest rates change and refunding bonds is no longer economically advantageous, officials not need to proceed.

Board members also accepted a $639.31 donation from Buffalo Wild Wings to the athletic department and two $100 donations from Joseph and Elizabeth Elston and Mark Smith in memory of Nancy Elston for student needs.