By Larry Coonrod, Lebanon Express writer | Posted: Wednesday, January 2, 2008 12:00 am
Spurred by complaints of traffic congestion at the Sand Ridge Charter School campus on South Main street, the city of Lebanon has requested that the school make busing arrangements for its students.
About 160 students are housed in the former Lebanon Chapel, said Jay Jackson, president of People Involved in Education, the nonprofit organization that runs the school. PIE operates a private preschool on the site as well as charter school classes in kindergarten through third grade.
In a Dec. 26 letter to Jackson, Lebanon City Manager John Hitt expressed concern over the congestion growing worse if the city approves the planned residential subdivision in the immediate vicinity of the school. Hitt suggested Sand Ridge consider obtaining bus transportation for as many students as possible.
Willamette Valley Planning of Corvallis has submitted an application to the city planning office, asking to develop the Parkside subdivision into 20-single family housing lots and a 102-unit apartment complex. The planning department has scheduled a hearing on the application for Jan.16.
Hitt said members of the development review team looking at the project said they had been advised by some community members that traffic entering and leaving the charter school was a concern.
"I don't think it's a big problem now; the worry is if the subdivision is approved," Hitt said.
In his letter to Jackson, Hitt suggested traffic study information could be obtained from Jim Ruef, Lebanon director of public works. Ruef said he frequently drives South Main and is unaware of any traffic problems caused by the charter school. "In fact, there is less traffic now than when the building was in use as a church," he said.
"The congestion is pretty bad on the school grounds, but that is private property. It's not really impacting South Main," Ruef said.
Currently, students are dropped off and picked up at the two Sand Ridge campuses (South Main and Sodaville) by family members. Jackson has requested that busing arrangements with the Lebanon Community School District be discussed during negotiations over Sand Ridge's new contract with the district.
Jackson said busing arrangements were discussed three years ago during contract negotiations and more recently at school board meetings.
"The superintendent has said charter school students can apply to ride the buses as hitchers if room is available," Jackson said.
In a Dec. 29 e-mail to Lebanon School Board members requesting the issue be part of contract negotiations, Jackson said the district has refused to acknowledge its obligation under state law to provide transportation to charter school students.
Lebanon Community School District Superintendent Jim Robinson disputes Jackson's interpretation of the law, saying Sand Ridge is responsible for its students transportation.
However, Robinson said charter school students can ride Lebanon buses if space is available.
"I'd be interested in any instance of a Sand Ridge student being turned down. We'd look into that," Robinson said.
The hitcher status Jackson referred to applies to students riding the bus to places other than schools, such as the Community Services Consortium, Robinson said. "That wouldn't necessarily apply to a bus running by his (Jackson's) school."
Robinson said he has never been presented with any formal concerns about transportation by PIE, but did say there were a couple of "by the way" conversations regarding the issue.
The school board voted to renew Sand Ridge's charter on Dec. 3. Contract negotiations must be completed within 90 days of that date unless an extension is agreed to by both the district and PIE.
This story was updated on Jan. 2 at 4:25 p.m.