Well, folks. We just had a successful RECALL of two Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District, CUSD. So here we are, two weeks after the swearing in of the two new members Sue Palazzo and Ken Maddox only to find the city of Mission Viejo approving the drafting of a (potential) lawsuit against CUSD due to a proposed reduction in bus service for our students.
Mayor Trish Kelley reported that CUSD has a plan to reduce bus service from 62 to 18. The impact on Mission Viejo would be as follows: A decrease at four elementary schools from a total of seven buses in the morning and seven in the afternoon to two and two. The Newhart Middle school will see a reduction of nine and nine to three and three. Capistrano Valley High School will see a reduction from six in the morning and nine in the afternoon to three and three. Collectively this would represent a two-thirds reduction of bus service for Mission Viejo schools.
Note: Mission Viejo citizens have informed me that they often see these huge buses with very few riders. It would be useful to learn the actual ridership numbers.
During council remarks of the July 7th meeting, under Agenda Item #39, CUSD & SVUSD Busing, that you can view on our streaming video, you will hear Council Member Lance MacLean make the following statement:
“I’ll shoot from the hip. Because of greenhouse regulations that we are all subject to at the state and city level..in fact you will notice the County runs, OCTA runs, alternative fuel vehicles to reduce greenhouse gases. School buses are not falling under that regulation and so I’d like to add into that Motion that the school district convert their bus fleet to alternative fuel that’s more environmentally friendly..its for the health and safety of our children.. Right now they pollute the air with diesel fumes, particular matter, nitrous oxide, nitrogen oxide, which is a big component of smog and they seem to be exempted. I think at this point if we are going to pull the trigger and sue them (CUSD) let’s do it all the way and make the school districts convert to alternative fuel vehicles. The city has already done so ..our city trash trucks are compressed natural gas. The street sweepers and on and on.”
While I can debate the services paid for by the city, such as our providing crossing guards and extra security at schools, the interjection of the above greenhouse gas comments into the Motion by Lance are troubling. It’s bad enough that every school district in the state is dealing with their Prop 98 shortfall and layoffs of support staff along with some teachers.
What does he prefer? Green buses or unemployed teachers?
Does he have any clue as to the cost of his suggestion?
What a nice way to welcome the new majority of CUSD. A lawsuit by our city whose students they were elected to educate.
What next? I expect to get a warning notice from our city attorney about some new Ordinance that unless we convert our personal vehicles to alternate fuel we will receive a $1,000 summons each time we are stopped. While “freedom isn’t free” this “nanny state” mentality is very disturbing.
Please mark your calendars to attend the CUSD “Negative Declaration.” Public Hearing on Monday July 21.
Larry,
MV really has lame leadership. What a waste of resources. Why doesn’t that dolt just call over to CUSD and get a meeting to discuss the issues? Why all the expense and sandbagging of getting expensive attorneys involved? Better yet, tell your lazy leaders to get themeselves over to a school board meeting and bring up the issue, front and center.
Has anyone thought to ask parents to pay for the buses? Sell ridership on the busses and you eliminate the need for parents to drive the kids to school. Sure there will be fuel costs involved, but I imagine parents would rather their kids share a ride with dozens of other kids for a flat fee and the freedom to not use their own gas to transport their kids to school.
~just an idea
MacLean and Kelley are both huge embarrassments to Mission Viejo. Am I the only person who believes Lance MacLean should be recalled? The CUSD recall, mentioned above, demonstrated it doesn’t take an army or a fortune to knock someone out of office. I have a strong impression that MacLean would damage CUSD in any way he could. Neither MacLean nor Ury would support the audit that parents requested to find out why funds weren’t being applied to MV schools. MacLean claimed Newhart school is in fine shape — that’s outrageous.
The Mission Viejo council — with the help of the incompetent city staff — can find the worst possible way to address any problem or issue. I say “address” because they never solve anything.
I attended the meeting in MV when Supt. Woodrow Carter was talking about cutbacks. Bus drivers were present, and they offered thoughtful, feasible ideas to keep the buses going while cutting costs. Carter, of course, wouldn’t listen to reason. He was so busy lying that night about his contract that he wasn’t interested in anyone offering solutions. The bus drivers were far superior in intellect, integrity and problem-solving ability.
Declining enrollment, empty buses, tight budgets, reduced revenue, eliminated programs, pink slipped teachers, overwhelming problems with the San Juan Hills High School and now the Mission Viejo City Council threatening a lawsuit to not only keep the empty buses running, but force the school districts to convert to “green” buses.
Great going Mission Viejo – what other non-productive ways can you find to waste money and create problems?