Independent Review Of Bus Contract Process Warranted

To the Editor:

Hats off the Board of Education! By throwing out the owner-operator schools bus program they have managed to cost several Newtowners jobs, damaged the tax base and place the school kids in the hands of people we don’t know. The drivers of the buses our kids and grandkids will be riding are just drivers. The point being, for the most part, they aren’t invested in this town and will come and go just to collect a paycheck.

Of course the economic impact to Newtown and owners-operators in an already depressed economy will spill over to local banks, repair shops and any number of other local businesses that served these drivers. I guess that if you have your head in the sand — or wherever — then these issues aren’t relevant.

In reading a number of articles about the bids over the course of the last few months I have picked up on several issues and a number of conflicting statements about the bidding process, the terms and the commitments the winning bidder is willing to make. Too many inconsistent points to make me comfortable with what we bought or think we bought.

For example I read at one point that the winning bidder will garage buses in Newtown. That has changed to “potentially will garage buses in Newtown.” That is a big difference to the local economy and the tax base.

I think we should request that an independent authority (perhaps the state police) review all relevant documents, e-mails, minutes of town meetings and the bids to insure that business has been conducted in accord with town and state procurement procedures and state statues.

Given the lack of a consistent thread of logic and public comment throughout this process I think a third-party audit is a reasonable course of action.

RP Gottmeier

13 Antler Pine Road, Sandy Hook                      September 19, 2011