Oregon Pupil Transportation Association

Northwest Chapter Meeting Minutes

January 19, 2010

President Mary Conger called the meeting to order at 11:18 am.

Members present: Doug Fedderson, NCSD; Debby Wright, Beaverton; Paula Adams, Beaverton SD; Kathy Houck, Reynolds SD; Keith Wright, PPSD; Charisse Wall, PPSD; Jean Frazey, Beaverton; Mary Conger, NCSD; Janet Alley, NCSD; Patricia Carner, Beaverton SD; Pat Green, Central SD; Dan Wood, Brattain Bus Sales; Carolos Gonzales, Brattain Bus Sales; Mike Conley, Northside Ford; Lynnette O’Dell, Oregon City SD; Steven Huillet, ODE; Marty Hopper, Redmond SD; and Kim Crabtree, Sherwood SD

Total attending: 18

Minutes taken by: Jean Frazey

December 2009 Meeting Minutes were approved.

Financial Report:     Dawn Persall reports that:

Beginning Bal. as of December 2009:       $ 10,512.91
     Deposits   0
     Expenses   0
Balance as of January 2010           $ 10,512.91

CD Balance                       $3655.52
Cash Box                       $    40.00

Financial Report approved

Committee Reports

August Workshop: Lynnette O’Dell reported a Planning Meeting scheduled for January 22 at 11 am, Izzy’s Oregon City
Education:   Sandy Van Baggen not available so Keith Wright handed out a printout of class information that Sandy had been able to pull together. This list is attached at the end of the minutes.
Membership: Kathy Houck reported there is an increase of membership. She will be updating the membership list.
Poster Contest: Charissa Wall discussed that because of the difficulty of getting social security numbers which are needed to purchase saving bonds, she shared that SW Chapter went to a procedure of with ss# the prizes were $50.00- $100.00 for saving bonds w/o ss# prizes would go to $25.00 - $50.00 cash. There was discussion about the cost of keeping dollar amounts at the saving bond level even if there was no ss# cost NW Chapter was $450.00 to pay off 4 divisions last year. If there was submitting in all possible categories would costs the chapter more. A motion was made, 2nd, and accepted by members that NW Chapter would move to mirror SW Chapter changes in Poster Contest prizes.

The theme for the 2009-10 Poster contest is “Be aware, Know the Danger Zone”.

Sunshine:   Nothing to report.
Please send any information regarding past and present NWOPTA members i.e., job promotion, awards, illness, death of close family member, retirement from Transportation or anything else you feel the association should be aware of, to Dawn’s attention.
Winter Workshop: Jean Frazey reports:
Monday, March 15, 2010 is the NW Chapter Winter Workshop and Luncheon from 8 am – 1 pm
Monarch Hotel
12566 SE 93rd Ave
Clackamas, Oregon
75 postcards were mailed out across the state announcing the Winter Workshop.
On some of the postcards the workshop cost of $15.00 was faded out and hard to read.

There’s five speakers scheduled for the workshop, lunch will be an Italian theme, there is an early registration drawing for all who are registered and paid by 3/5/10.

The registration form will be available on the website to print off and mail in with payment.

Safety Exercise:   Patricia Carner reports
•   Waiting to hear from Salem about any changes to the backing event because of the changes to DMV testing changes.
•   NW Chapter Regional Safety Exercise will be May 22, 2010
•   SW Chapter Regional Safety Exercise is reported to be tentatively May 1 in Grants Pass. Carl Salstrom of Salem-Keiser SD the contact person
•   State Safety Exercise is reported to be tentatively June 5 or June 12 at McNary HS in Salem

State Board:   Steven Huillet reported that:
On December 17 the State Board discussed:
•   SW Chapter Winter Workshop is February 20 in Sweethome, Oregon with a theme of “Bus Driver Boot Camp” will have breakout sessions. The cost is $20.00 per person and lunch WILL NOT be provided.
•   SW Chapter will be holding a new discussion on 2/2 on the topic of “Dispatching Trip Assignments”, anyone interested in being part of the discussion should contact Chris Ellison, Albany SD
•   An issue of Bio-diesel freezing in cold weather was felt statewide. There is information concerning making changes to the Bio-diesel in the future to eliminate this problem available from Steven Huillet, ODE
•   Steven Huillet reported that the changes to 3rd Party Testing will change in policy and procedures of administering a road test. There will be three backing maneuvers that will be done once the vehicle inspect is completed but before the actually drive test starts. There will be a straight, 45 degree and ninety degree backing maneuvers. The tester is required to schedule a Road test to DMV prior to the tester actually administering the test and then once the testing is completed it must immediately be reported to DMV electronically. The CDL Certificate of Test Completion forms have changes on them also. There will be training and other forms of information coming in the near future.
•   ODE has changed the dates for their 3rd Party Tester Instructor Development class. The new dates will be June 28, 29 & 30, 2010 in Salem. The original date conflicted with the last week of school for many districts.
•   February 14, 2010 is “Love the Bus” Day. ODE has sent statewide an email to Transportation operations and District Superintendents a notice and a link to the website for this event.

Legislative Report:
o   Senate Bill 46 - All persons in the school district must be fingerprinted
o   Senate Bill 610 – Clean Diesel funds from the federal programs could be applied through the state reimbursement program. These funds must be used to replace or retro fit existing buses to meet federal standard emissions only.

Summer Conference: Marty Hopper reports that the 2010 State Summer Conference will be in Eugene at the Valley River Inn June 21 - 24. More information will be coming

Old Business:

Mary Conger and Dawn Persall presented in November 2009, a rough draft of the 2009-10 NW Chapter OPTA projected budget. After some discussion and noted changes, it was decided that Mary will present the final budget at our February Meeting.

New Business:

Carlos Gonzales, Brattain Bus Sales, Albany – brought information regarding the contest sponsored by International Company. Go to americasgreenestschool.com for the 2010 contest. A school district will win a new Hybrid School Bus by IC Bus worth $150,000, the winning school will win $20,000 for a “Green Makeover” of the school and the winning student will win $3000 and the students’ classroom will win $500

Roundtable Discussion:

Keith Wright, PPSD – Shared a great Bingo program used in their Transportation Operation to promote Good Attendance. Keith handed out samples of rules and cards, then exampled how the program works.

Mary Conger, N Clack – shared how their Star Awards program works for giving out recognition to their drivers.

Meeting adjourned 12:45 pm
Next Meeting: February 15, 2010 at Village Inn at Bridgeport, 11 am