Last night Metro council members took a step toward approving a budget for next year. The decision came even as members heard from school bus drivers frustrated to have their hours cut, and school custodians angry over being outsourced.
Citizens spoke out about the budget for roughly two hours. A few thanked officials for funding public art. But others railed against Metro schools outsourcing custodians and cutting the wages of bus drivers. Several times an official had to ask the audience to silence applause.
Lolita Canard works in an elementary school and is the mother of a Metro groundskeeper. She ran out of time before she was through speaking.
– “There’s Metro employees that have been working for over 25 years that can’t retire because they’re not old enough – now they’ve got to start all over, and it’s not fair. The school board cannot understand; can they go to sleep at night thinking ‘Okay, I’m going home possibly tomorrow and telling my family–’”
– “Ma’am, sorry, your time has expired.”
– “Think about it.”
Many members sympathized, but ultimately 29 voted to pass the measure on its second of three readings. That means the council still has time to change the bill. But if they don’t reach a solution by the end of the month, the mayor’s proposed budget takes effect by default, which won’t help the workers.
While Metro council appropriates funding for schools, how that money is spent is up to the Metro Board of Education. School board officials are set to appear before the council Thursday.
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