In this upcoming Monday edition on page 2 of the Knoxville / Knox County Focus, School Board Member - Elect Bill Phillips details a plan that he presented as a citizen (he doesn't take office until 9/1/2008) this past Wednesday during the School Board's Public Forum. Interesting sidebar, sources have informed Brian's Blog that Phillips asked to speak to an item on the agenda and he was informed that because he was scheduled to speak on public forum that he would not be permitted to speak to more than one item. This is contrary to the actual board policy.
This item is worthy of the board's discussion and consideration, Brian's Blog will predict today that it will likely be ignored. Sources indicate that Russ Oaks, the school systems PR guy was "spinning" the three members of the media immediately following Phillips remarks, why this proposal will be DOA - Dead On Arrival. Oaks said it has been considered before and the contractors didn't like it.
The problem is that Oaks is assuming the contractors have not been briefed already on this proposal. That assumption could cause someone to have egg on their face.
What could the savings be?
This item is worthy of the board's discussion and consideration, Brian's Blog will predict today that it will likely be ignored. Sources indicate that Russ Oaks, the school systems PR guy was "spinning" the three members of the media immediately following Phillips remarks, why this proposal will be DOA - Dead On Arrival. Oaks said it has been considered before and the contractors didn't like it.
The problem is that Oaks is assuming the contractors have not been briefed already on this proposal. That assumption could cause someone to have egg on their face.
What could the savings be?
8th District School Board Elect Bill Phillips poses questions
Knox County School Board Elect Representative Bill Phillips recently posed questions at workshop meeting. Could Knox County Schools create a win/win situation with the school bus contractors by applying for tax exempt status? By thinking out side of the box, the school board has the potential to save the school system hundreds of thousands of dollars. It would be uncharted water as no other school board in the country has applied for the status.
Phillips believes that the county could apply for the status and then issue fuel cards based on the amount of fuel needed for each bus. This would eliminate the contractor from having to cash flow these unknown fuel prices. The way things are being done currently, it is almost impossible for the contractor to forecast fuel prices & then they have to pass the high cost of fuel to the county and this would take this burden off them and the county would be responsible for the the fuel purchase only.
Phillips said, “Presently school buses use 3,800 gallons of fuel per school day. We know the routes and the miles each day. It should just be a matter of issuing a card (voyager fleet cards) with a limit based on the current fuel & the number of gallons needed and the amount of miles that bus will be traveling.” (Voyager already has a system in place & 92% of all
locations accept that card.)
Phillips continued, “With fuel prices being what they are today and the likelihood that they will raise even higher, we also need to rethink our busing children for long distances. We have some children who are on a school bus for 2 to 2.5 hours a day. In my district where there is not a middle school in the Gibbs community, students are bussed to Holston and that takes a significant amount of fuel each day.”
You can contact Bill Phillips with questions or concerns at bill@phillips4schools. org or call 680-1557.
You are correct. Karen Carson is not an advocate for free speech. She is only advocate for her to say what she wants to say and when a board member, say Cindy Buttry corrects her (like what occured this past Wed) Karen flips her hair, rolls her eyes and begins talking louder in an effort to intimidate and silence Cindy. It didn't work,
ReplyDeleteCindy came back at Karen concerning the facts surrounding the incident during the site visit in Boston. Robert Bratton was present at the meeting and on teh site visit that was being discussed and he agreed with Cindy. Thomas Deakins was also present on the site visit and his silence was telling that he agreed with Cindy's version.
The Eighth District loves Bill Phillips. We have needed someone to fight for us the past 8 years and Jim Williams has sat there and let Sam Anderson waste $16 million at Holston Middle. While all we got was a set of bleachers.
ReplyDeleteThe t-shirts that are being printed say. Jim Williams served 8 years on the school board and all we got was a lousy set of bleachers.
The Gibbs Elementary School was a product of Steve Hunley's tenure on the board.