Waterford Schools: 3 Vans Will Save Us $100k

Tuesday night, a Waterford board approved a request by Superintendent Jerome Belair to buy three vans for Waterford’s schools, a move he said will allow him to cut his budget by $100,000.

Belair said some special education students costs upwards of $200 a day to transport to various schools. School Business Manager Phillip Russell said that by buying three vans, Waterford can get that cost to around $120, plus there are additional savings.

“The savings is a phenomenal amount,” Russell said.

Tuesday, the Ad Hoc Committee on Fleet Management Variances approved buying the three vans. Belair said that means he can cut his budget proposal by $100,000 – from $44.62 million to $44.52 million – for the 2013-14 fiscal year. 

There is still time to lower the budget for the year, as the Representative Town Meeting will finalize the town's budget for next year in May. The schools’ budget is a 0.96 percent increase over last year’s total, and that percentage should drop if Belair cuts another $100,000.

Specifics

The town spends approximately $500,000 a year on transportation for special education students, Russell said. By buying three vans, the town can lower that cost at least $100,000, he said.

There are only two companies in southeastern Connecticut that provide transportation for special education students, Russell said. Therefore, Waterford has little negotiation power, he said.

The most expensive student costs $299 a day to transport, or roughly $64,000 a year, Russell said. Obviously, if the town can do it for $120 a day, that’s a big savings, he said.

Additionally, the van can provide rides throughout the day, Russell said. There are special needs students that need rides to work programs in the area and it costs $79 a ride, and the town can do those for free, he said.