By Aaron Vehling

With the North Branch School District facing as much as a $3 million deficit next academic year, the school board is looking for ways to save money.

One area where money could be saved is transportation.

Having already eliminated bus passes, which allowed students to take different buses depending on their destination, and running one bus route for all students, the board will soon be given the opportunity to look at eliminating what is called ìin-town transit.î

In-town transit refers to busing services for elementary students who live one mile from school and secondary students who live two miles from school.

Superintendent Bob Stepaniak said that last year the issue of eliminating the in-town transit did not even make it to the board for consideration because of concerns regarding students walking along Main Street and other high traffic streets. They did perform a study, though, around February or March of 2004 and found that the district could save about $50,000 if they eliminated in-town transit.

Though the district wonít know exactly how much they need to cut until budget meetings early next year, Stepaniak said the board will most likely encounter the issue this year.

ìWe know perfectly well that other districts are doing it (eliminating in-town transit) quite a bit,î he said. ìI am pretty sure this time the board will see this study at a meeting.î

Todd Tetzlaff, principal of North Branch Middle School, said he was not worried about secondary school students walking as much as he was concerned about elementary students walking to school.

ìThe safety of younger students is an issue,î he said. ìWe would have to look at hiring crossing guards in the morning and afternoon. Middle-level kids could walk safely one or two miles.î

Bill Burton, director of transportation for the school district, agreed with Tetzlaff.

ìWe would have to look at where weíd need crossing guards,î he said.

But having kids walk to school would also require cooperation with the city of North Branch, Burton said.

ìThe city will have to take a look,î he said. ìIf we were to make a move, weíd have to take a look at how they control pedestrian traffic.î
Gary Schaefer, director of public works for the city of North Branch, agrees with Burton.

ìWe would have to look at where the schools thought additional sidewalks were needed,î he said, adding that the city council would have to look at that issue.

Certainly nothing is written in stone this early in the game, but with a multi-million dollar budget deficit looming, the school board will have to look at a variety of ways to save money.

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