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LEWISTOWN -- The Mifflin County School District Board of Directors met Thursday to discuss bus contracts for student transportation in addition to other business.
The directors first recommended approval of the Agreements for Pupil Transportation for Fisher Brothers, Inc., J & L Rhone Services, LLC, K.V. Bus Line, Rhodes Bus Co., and Yoder Tourways, Inc. for a period of five years from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030.
Director Paula Dickson then motioned and Board President Rose Salvo seconded to table the vote to approve the secured bus contracts.
The other six directors on the board, excluding recently seated Director Richard A. Smeltz, who was absent, did not approve tabling the vote.
Directors' motion to recommend approval of the bus contracts then moved forward in a roll-call vote. The majority of directors present voted to approve the motion. Dickson and Salvo voted against the motion.
In the public comment session regarding the consent agenda and in the general public comment session, community members and a Krise Transportation driver expressed displeasure toward the board's lack of public discussion of and alleged lack of attention to the Krise Transportation bus contract.
The five transportation companies that reached an agreement with MCSD were listed on the Board agenda in the recommendation for approval following contract negotiations.
All transportation companies that directors negotiated with and signed contracts with are subcontractors to the district. The district alone does not pay individual drivers, the bus companies do. MCSD negotiates a contract with a bus company for an agreed upon cost.
Community members also shared concern for students with special needs who require travel accommodations. According to Superintendent Vance Varner, the approved transportation subcontractors do have these accessible vehicles.
In a roll-call vote, Directors voted to authorize the District Administration to prepare and solicit Requests For Proposals for Pupil Transportation Agreements for those routes which have not been accepted and/or assigned to other transportation providers for the five-year period commencing July 1, 2025, and concluding on June 30, 2030. Salvo voted against this motion.
Any previously mentioned transportation company can submit these requests.
Directors also:
•Approved the resignations of Auxiliary Staff Athletics Douglas J. Sipe effective March 3, 2025; Volunteer Boys Lacrosse Coach Kirkland J. Jones effective March 3, 2025; MCJHS Biology Teacher Abigail T. Cunningham effective March, 4, 2025, held up to May, 2, 2025; MCMS Math Teacher Courtney L. White effective March 5, 2025, Cafeteria Substitute Kate E. Yetter effective March 10, 2025, SMES/LIS School Psychologist Kimberly L. Tierney effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year, and the retirement of LIS Full-Time Life Skills Support Paraprofessional Rose M. Caldwell effective at the end of school year 2024-2025;
•Approved Varsity Wrestling to participate in the 25th Annual Turner Holiday Wrestling Classic at Conestoga Valley High School, 2110 Horseshoe Rd, Lancaster, PA 17601 on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025;
•Approved Varsity Girls Softball to play at PSU's Beard Field on Sunday, April 6, 2025, following the PSU-Rutgers Softball game;
•Approved 3-year contracts with Geisinger Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine for the Athletic Training and Physician Services for Mifflin County School District athletics;
•Approved the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit Budget in the amount of $3,793,033 for the fiscal year July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026;
•Approved to appoint Saxton & Stump as the District's special counsel (due to the current special counsel, Stock & Leader, joining that firm), for the period of April 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025, and for the 2025-2026 school year.