Shared Services Feasibility Study Request and Public Notice / Hearing Requirement

The Ohio Auditor of State (AOS) may provide feasibility studies, under Ohio Rev. Code Section 117.473, to determine if greater efficiency or cost savings could be realized by a state agency or local public office sharing services or facilities with other state agencies or local public offices. These feasibility studies, and the resources necessary to conduct them, are available to state agencies and local public offices. AOS intends to focus limited resources available to conduct these studies to where they can be of the most value to the partner entities and taxpayers of the State of Ohio.

Public Meeting / Hearing Scheduled

In accordance with Ohio Rev. Code Sect. 117.473, a public meeting and hearing have been scheduled for the Fleet Maintenance Shared Services Feasibility Study Planned Scope of Work as follows:

Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Bellaire Local School District Central Office
Board of Education Conference Room
340 34th Street
Bellaire, OH  43906
5 p.m.

The meeting/hearing agenda will include a project overview and be followed by a local public hearing for public comment.

Shared Services Feasibility Study Request

Bellaire Local School District requested a feasibility study for fleet maintenance shared services.  Bellaire Local School District identified potential partners including:  Bridgeport EVSD, Shadyside LSD, St. Clairsville-Richland CSD, East Central Ohio ESC, and Muskingum Valley ESC.  

Project Specific Questions

The feasibility study determined if greater efficiency or cost savings could be realized by the partner districts sharing school bus facilities and maintenance resources.

This study reviewed opportunities related to sharing transportation facilities and resources, and examined current efficiencies. Study activities included interviews with transportation specialists as well as the use of quantitative analysis (e.g., calculating bus facility capacity to reliably meet district needs, overhead costs, maintenance expenses, and additional cost saving protocols).

As an outcome of the feasibility study, scenarios were made available to the districts interested in optimizing their fleet operation and maintenance facilities. This value-added analysis can inform decision making at the local level related to school transportation expenses.

Current and historical relationship among the proposed partners, including any other efforts toward shared services

The districts participating in this study are current and active members of the Ohio Shared Services collaborative. OSSC is a consortium of school districts, ESCs, ITCs and boards of developmental disabilities dedicated to reducing school transportation expenses through a shared services model. The districts have been active participants in OSSC's efforts to reduce the consortium fleet by five percent and reduce operating costs by two percent. Cost savings are centered on monitoring student ridership to analyze true needs, reducing idle times, improving bus routes and sharing transportation services and facilities where it makes sense. All participating districts are also members of the Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools.

The feasibility study has been conducted by the Auditor of State's Office’s Ohio Performance Team.