Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the recently published article “Southport residents seek resolution to vacant school bus driver position.”

For those not aware, long time and well-beloved member of the community Matthew Thibault has resigned from his position as the Southport Central School’s bus driver effective as of Jan. 31 on the grounds that he is not being fairly compensated.

Originally, Matt had held both the school maintenance and bus driver positions (both separate), which together constituted a full time salary and benefits. However, when Matt ceased to be the school maintenance technician he retained only part-time salary ($24/hr) and benefits as the school bus driver. The problem is that up until he resigned, he was still a full time bus driver and was therefore receiving significantly less than the full time salary (over $32/hr for a driver with 10 years of experience, Matt has 20) and benefits received by bus drivers in neighboring school districts such as Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor.

As a result of Matt’s resignation the school has had to bring in a substitute bus driver to fill the need for student transportation, but has only been able to do so intermittently and without any day-to-day certainty. They have posted an opening for a new school bus driver here:  

https://www.servingschools.com/job/tnkcby/school-bus-driver-southport-school/boothbay-harbor/me

Because the school’s FY26 budget was approved by the Southport budget committee prior to Matt’s resignation as the school bus driver, it will go before the town at the annual meeting on March 3 *without* accounting for any of these most recent developments. Consequently, if the school is only able to offer the same salary and benefits to a new bus driver as they have to Matt, then it is unlikely that they will be successful in hiring one, and the problem will continue without resolution.

Those concerned both on Southport and in the broader community ought to know that this will most certainly be a point of discussion at the town meeting.

Wyatt Colby

Southport