From the Muncie Star-Press:
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As for the buses, he said in hindsight the Rainy Day funds used on iPads last year could have been better spent.
Last January, board members approved the use of $2 million in the Rainy Day Fund for MCS tech upgrades, which included 4,000 iPads for students and teachers.
The district also upgraded its wireless access, put in new computer labs in the secondary schools and outfitted each elementary school classroom with SMART boards.
Collins, who also spoke up about the district’s transportation issue, said that board members could look “like heroes” by withdrawing the waiver and finding a way to keep the buses.
MCS officials have said that without the $3.3 million referendum, which would have increased property taxes, the buses cannot run after this school year. MCS is awaiting word from the Indiana Department of Education on a waiver that would allow the district to end bus service without the required three-year notice, to begin at the start of the 2014 school year.
Last week, Chris Hiatt of Citizens of Delaware County for Good Government, which was behind a campaign against the referendum, invited all those who supported the referendum to join them to “help insure that the Muncie Community Schools takes immediate and proactive measures to guarantee that the bus services for our children will never be compromised or threatened again.”
Tuesday night he called for the resignation of Heller and MCS Chief Financial Officer Mark Burkhart, saying they were “inhibiting us from being proactive and creative in our solutions...without compromising our children’s welfare.” If they did not resign, he called on the board members to terminate their employment.
That’s not going to happen, according to board member Robert Warrner.
“We are very fortunate to have these two gentlemen working for Muncie Community Schools,” he said after the meeting. “They are highly respected across the state.”
Hiatt also asked that board members who believe that the only solution to the district’s financial woes is ending transportation service resign as well.
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http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013311130020&nclick_check=1
