web1_TOM_MOONEY.jpg

Out On a Limb: World War II draft cards gold mine of information

web1_PROMO3.jpg

‘The Fantasticks’ comes to the Music Box Dinner Playhouse in Swoyersville

<p>WRIGHT TWP. &#8212; Classes will begin Sept. 3 in the Crestwood School District and Rinehimer Bus Lines, Inc., will again be transporting the students.</p><p>At a special meeting Friday morning, the Crestwood School Board voted 7-0 to enter into a contract &#8212; still to be finalized &#8212; with Rinehimer and it terminated the contract with G. Davis Transportation.</p><p>It was also announced that once the contract with Rinehimer is finalized, the lawsuit the provider filed against the district for losing the previous contract would be dropped.</p><p>Board solicitor John Dean said the contract will run for three to five years and he said the first year cost to the district will be $2.15 million &#8212; some $200,000 more than the Davis contract.</p><p>Incoming Superintendent Bob Mehalick said he and acting Superintendent Joseph Rasmus will immediately begin reviewing the district&#8217;s budget to see where the $200,000 can be offset.</p><p>For now, Rinehimer will use the same bus stops as last year, said Bill Jones, president of the school board. Negotiations between the district and Rinehimer are expected to be finalized within the next 24 to 48 hours. Any unforeseen changes to the bus schedule/routes will be posted on the district&#8217;s website.</p><p>The seven board members in attendance that votes for the contract were: Jones, Maureen McGovern, Anna Hollock Bibla, James Costello, Randy Swank, Albert Miller and William Thomas. Members Barry Boone and Ron Sturgen were absent.</p><p>The meeting room was crowded with interested parents and taxpayers and when it was over, there seemed to be a shared sigh of relief.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m just happy school will start next week,&#8221; said one parent as she left the building.</p><p>Kelly Vanderburg questioned how the board intends to make up the difference of $200,000 due to the higher price of Rinehimer&#8217;s contract over G. Davis. Mehalick assured her that no programs would be cut, but he could not give specifics on any savings until the total budget has been reviewed.</p><p>The $2.15 million Rinehimer contract is $100,000 less that the previous contract the district had with Rinehimer.</p><p>In a rather spirited statement, Thomas recommended that Rinehimer provide &#8220;independently verified&#8221; monthly data/reports and also use buses no older than 10 years. The district was cited by the Pennsylvania Auditor General for failing to keep current information of bus drivers licenses and background checks.</p><p>Dean also said that he had a conversation with the G. Davis group and they are aware that the district will take legal action against the company for failing to meet the scheduled start of school.</p><p>The 2019-2020 school year is scheduled to end on June 5, 2020, with graduation set for June 14, 2020, at Mohegan Sun Arena.</p><p>The board terminated the contract with Rinehimer earlier this year after the state auditor general&#8217;s office discovered both the district and Rinehimer lacked records of required clearances for drivers. The board then contracted G. Davis for transportation. The change officially took place at the start of July. And as late as last week board members were telling the public that G. Davis had assured them the company was ready with enough drivers and vehicles to start school Aug. 26.</p><p>Jones said he received a phone call on Friday, Aug. 23, informing him that G. Davis was not ready to go for the start of school the following Monday. G. Davis said they did not have enough drivers. Jones said G. Davis had provided a list of 41 drivers. but on Saturday, Oct. 24, G.Davis said those drivers were no longer available.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Crestwood-12.jpeg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Crestwood-12.jpeg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_CRESTWOOD-SCHOOL-BOARD.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Crestwood School District Solicitor John Dean, left, school board President Bill Jones and incoming Superintendent Bob Mehalick listen to a taxpayer at Friday&#8217;s special meeting during which the board re-hired Rinehimer Bus Lines to be the district&#8217;s transportation provider. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_CRESTWOOD-SCHOOL-BOARD.jpg</photo1><caption1>Crestwood School District Solicitor John Dean, left, school board President Bill Jones and incoming Superintendent Bob Mehalick listen to a taxpayer at Friday&#8217;s special meeting during which the board re-hired Rinehimer Bus Lines to be the district&#8217;s transportation provider. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill O&#8217;Boyle | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Crestwood board rehires Rinehimer; school to start Sept. 3