District Asked to Consider Providing Van to Bus Stop

may provide a van for students whose bus stop on Finady Avenue in Fountain Hill .

At the Sept. 27 Saucon Valley School Board meeting, board members told the upset parents that they will look into providing a district van for these students. Previously, the district said there were no vans available. Parent Paula Steuer told the school board that she received e-mails from a woman whose son is picked up in a district van, who claims they do not need the van.

A handful of parents spoke to the school board and said a van was the only viable option at this point.

However, school board member Lanita Lum questioned whether a van or a bus is safer on steep roads in bad weather.

“Although it seems better ideally, a van slides more,” she said.

Parent Jeff Ford asked the school board if they could have the bus stop at South Benner Avenue and Moravia Street when the weather is nice and on Finady Avenue--which is at a lower elevation--when the weather is bad.

School board members nixed that idea due to the possible confusion it could cause. In addition, Lum said the district doesn’t have the manpower for the extra work that would bring.

“I still haven’t heard a solution that makes sense for the district as a whole,” Lum said.

At the Sept. 13 school board meeting, numerous parents voiced concerns about the bus stop, ranging from unsafe driving conditions and crime in the area to proximity to a registered sex offender who lives nearby.

A few days after the Sept. 13 meeting, school board members Lum, Charles Bartolet, Susan Baxter and Michael Karabin rode on a school bus to the see the different bus stops for themselves.

Karabin said that in addition to riding the bus to the stops, he drove by the same spots himself.

“I can’t see any better spot,” Karabin said. “I wish it could be different, but I don’t see any other options.”

Previously, the bus stop was moved from South Benner Avenue and Moravia Street to Clewell and Sioux streets.

School board member Ralph Puerta said he understood the parents’ concerns, but believes the district was doing its job by moving the bus stop from the South Benner Avenue and Moravia Street location.

“I empathize with your feelings and concerns, but at the same time I believe the administration looked at it from the objective of every child’s safety,” Puerta said.

School board member Edward Inghrim, who was unable to attend the Sept. 13 meeting, said he is very familiar with the area and was surprised that this is considered Saucon Valley territory.

“I’m surprised Saucon Valley ever sent buses in that area,” he said.