1. It’s Not for Everyone….But it Should Be
Shared Services
It’s Not for Everyone….But it Should Be

2. Presenter Brad Romano Superintendent, New London Local Schools
Twitter: @NL_bromano
Teacher - Garfield Hts. HS
Principal, New London HS
2013-Present - Superintendent NLLS
Presenter

3. Basically - Reduce Costs, Improve Services, Increase Efficiencies
Why Shared Services
A collaborative strategy that is fundamentally about optimizing staff, equipment, and facilities and other resources to improve operational efficiencies and related outcomes.
Basically - Reduce Costs, Improve Services, Increase Efficiencies

4. Beyond Boundaries
Released in June Comprehensive study of public policy recommendations and potential collaborations for Ohio’s public sector.
Purpose was to propose ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency by presenting 10 recommendations:
Meant to provide a roadmap for a cost -effective, collaborative way of doing business
Beyond Boundaries

5. Who is New London Local Schools
Small rural district located in South West Huron County
District is comprised of many townships and villages over 84 square miles

6. Who is New London Local Schools
84 square miles in Huron County

7. Shared Services: Teacher
August, NLLS & Monroeville Local Schools share a P.E. Teacher
Saved each district $25,000
More efficient use of staff
Agreement lasted one year as enrollment changes forced need for FT
NL Estimated an additional $38,000 in savings
Additional savings from salary projections of steps and raises from an extra year of service to district

8. Shared Services: Fiscal
August NLLS & Cloverleaf Local Schools share Treasurer
Case of you get what you pay for
NLLS wasn’t satisfied with quality of candidates within our salary limitations
Entered into shared service agreement
District share was less than projected salary & benefits for full time
August NLLS & Mapleton Local Schools share payroll
NLLS payroll dept. assumes payroll for Mapleton
No additional cost for NLLS
Regionalization and more efficient use of resources

9. Shared Services: Infrastructure
August New London Area Communication Collaborative
7 agency collaborative to fund/maintain/operate communication system
New London Local Schools
New London Police Dept.
New London Fire Dept.
New London Water Dept.
Huron County EMA
Huron County Sheriff
Fireland’s Ambulance Service
$100,000 Project split between entities
Provides communication to busses for school district

10. Shared Services: Transportation
Prior to 2008:
Superintendent & Executive Secretary served as Transportation Supervisor
2008:
Transportation Supervisor position created
2013:
No new busses purchases in 10 years - Fleet of 12 routes
Used buses purchased to update fleet
Transportation Facility underutilized
Part time mechanic with mechanic helper

11. Shared Services: Transportation
2019:
Consolidated routes to 11
8 new Busses
Shared services with 3 additional districts
Maintain 35 busses fully, plus vans and box trucks
Maintain 13 busses on as needed basis
1.5 Mechanics
Managed Costs
Department treated as a business, not entitlement

12. Shared Services: Transportation
Early Days of Shared Services
Trips - Multiple District share cost of busses
Charter busses in some instances
NLLS drops off, while other district picks up
Special Routes
Ohio School for the Blind
Transportation of students from 4 other districts
P.E.P.
Special Education Placement
Black River - Sub Mechanic, Busses
Shortage of spare busses and sub mechanics during vacations
Oberlin City - Busses during break downs
Fleet size became a barrier
South Central Local Schools - Sub Mechanic work
Sudden loss of mechanic during yearly DOT inspections

13. Shared Services: Transportation
Shared Service Maintenance
Regional collaboration and relationship building
Expectation is to use fleet maintenance as springboard to larger collaboration
NL maintains same overhead expenses
District incurred minimal additional expense
Reduced costs of partner districts
District 1: $40,000 in first year
Consult on bus purchases, fleet maintenance, routing, & P.D. to transportation staff

14. Shared Services: Transportation - Impact
District 1:
Oldest partner with NLLS
3 year prior - averaged $62, st 3 year of agreement - averaged $29, difference of $33,784 per year. Total est. savings - $101,352

15. Shared Services: Transportation - Impact
District 2:
Limited T-1 Data Available
FY17 was first year of agreement - started in May for DOT

16. Shared Services: Transportation - Impact
Impact on New London Local Schools
Reinvestment into facility
Expanded parking, equipment, connectivity infrastructure, garage doors
Reinvest into our fleet
WiFi enabled cameras on every bus - Spring 2017

17. Shared Services: Transportation - Impact
Impact on New London Local Schools

18. Shared Services: Transportation - Impact
Impact on New London Local Schools

19. Shared Services: How to Develop?
How do you develop a successful model

20. Shared Services: How to Develop?
Most important factor: Embrace failure

21. Superintendent, New London Local Schools
Questions?
Brad Romano
Superintendent, New London Local Schools