Busing debate remains heated in Sayreville
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

SAYREVILLE - Faced with unrelenting pressure from school parents upset over the loss of courtesy busing, the Board of Education has agreed to take another look at potentially hazardous routes.

During another packed meeting Tuesday, the board did not restore courtesy busing, and adopted a policy to provide transportation to middle school students who live more than 2 miles from school, and to high school students who live more than 2.5 miles from their school.

Parents remained upset about the loss of courtesy busing for those middle and high school students who live closer to their schools. Despite officials' attempt to inform parents about using subscription busing - the district mailed letters to the parents of the 800 students affected by the loss of courtesy busing - so far only 36 parents have contracted for the service.

The subscription busing, provided by Laidlaw Educational Services, will cost parents $350 per child.

The board said Tuesday it will not fund the cost for extra crossing guards needed to the increased number of children who will be walking. The Borough Council is instead expected to foot that bill, which is expected to be $110,000.

The council also considered restoring the courtesy busing at a cost of $300,000, but last week opted not do so for fears they would jeopardize the borough's extraordinary state aid.

Borough Council President Thomas Pollando, who attended Tuesday's meeting along with Councilman Stanley Drwal, said the council will however find a way to provide crossing guards.

"Legally, we have to find a way to do it," Pollando said, later adding, "We are not going to have any areas unattended."

Board President Michael Macagnone noted that when the board debated courtesy busing, the majority of the members wanted to cut it. They then decided to make the item a separate ballot question in the school election. He added that his and board member Peter Barone's children are effected by the loss of courtesy busing.

"She is not walking," Macagnone said of his daughter, "I put in the deposit for subscription busing."

Macagnone said the board is providing the busing that is mandated by the state. He added that with expenses such as $65 million for salaries and benefits, the board is left with little funds to work with.

"We are not taking this lightly," Macagnone said, "and anyone that would imply or insinuate that is, at best, disingenious."

Resident Andrea Parades said she has cut a check for subscription busing, though she does not know if there will be a stop near her residence on Bordentown Avenue.

Paredes said the hazardous busing declaration should have been applied to both sides of the road at the intersection of Ernston Road and Bordentown Avenue. She noted the lack of a walking path and the overpass as only a few of the problems there.

"Courtesy busing picked the bulk of these children up and now they are walking hazardous roads. Trucks go up the sidewalk where children and crossing guards are going to be," Paredes said.

D'Andrea noted that board policy allows them to consider any number of the 10 situations for which a roadway can be deemed hazardous.

The parents organizing subscription busing for the district confirmed for Paredes that her deposit for the subscription busing is refundable if she does not have a stop by her home.

School Director of Transportation Debra Shedlock said she will see if the bus company can extend the due date for final payment for a week or two.

Paredes reiterated that she hopes that the board will deem the entire intersection of Ernston Road and Bordentown Avenue hazardous. She said that she sees drivers going over the 40 mph speed limit regularly.

"I live there. You can hear the screeching," Paredes said. She later added, "How can you in good conscience cut it out as a hazardous route? You left out a lot of things. Somebody else needs to rework it and extend courtesy busing where the problems will be."

Resident Mike Galvin also spoke to voice concerns about the lack of courtesy busing.

"Who is going to be responsible if a crossing guard or a child gets hit?" Galvin asked.

Board member Kevin Ciak said he felt that the community as a whole would have to take responsibility in the event of an accident.

"We all bear some of the responsibility," Ciak responded. "The community said no; the council is responsible for crossing guards. We all, as a community, share the burden."

Macagnone called for a subcommittee meeting on transportation and courtesy busing to be held next week with Drwal, resident Bob Foley and Shedlock to have another look at the logistical science of how children are bussed in Sayreville.

Board member Thomas Biesiada said the board should be careful with its funds in this matter. Biesiada was elected to the board in April, after the decision was made to make the item a separate question from the budget.

"I live on Deerfield Road and my kids cross the railroad tracks every day," Biesiada said. "I did not worry about the school system providing something for the kids; I did it myself. It is my responsibility. They did not ask to be brought into this world."

Although the board approved the transportation policy with a unanimous vote, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Carla Sutherland noted that the board can amend the policy.

Resident Maureen Devlin, in a letter to the Suburban, recalled the loss of her only daughter, Jolene Noel Devlin, after she was struck by a car on April 13, 2000.

"She too had to cross Main Street, which is more like a main highway, to get to her bus stop," Devlin wrote.

Devlin expressed concerns about children crossing major routes in the borough to get to school due to the loss of courtesy busing. She added that she and her family worked to have an ordinance put in place so that no child would have to cross Main Street to get to the bus.

"How can they make these children cross to get to their schools?" Devlin asked. "How many more children will have to die before they realize the tragic mistake they are making?"