Wrentham Elementary School Committee Gets Bus Fee Update

The Wrentham Elementary School Committee heard a report on the district's newly instated bus fee at its meeting Tuesday night.

The fee was enacted during the budget process this year to counter a shortfall in the district's funding.

Superintendent Jeffrey Marsden said about 81 percent of the students within two miles of school (the maximum distance in which families may be charged) had paid the fee.

"That's 352 students," he said. "Fifty two students aren't riding the bus... and we have about 30 kids that don't know what they're doing yet."

Marsden said there had been good response to the program, though many were not happy with the fee.

"Our earlier projections had us taking in $50,000," he said. "It looks like it will probably be about $40,000. We have kids on the free and reduced lunch program who we can't charge."

"People have come to me with certain hardships, and we either reduced or waived the fee," he added.

The board discussed setting a replacement fee for lost bus passes, and decided to approve a $5 fee.

According to Marsden, the process should run more smoothly in the future.

"Once the first one's down, and payments start coming in, things will be easier for us," he said.