Embattled School Bus Chief Out!
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Broward’s massive school bus failure has its first high-ranking staff victim.
Chester Tindall, who Superintendent Robert Runcie handpicked to run the transportation department, will take medical leave as of next Monday.
Tindall made his announcement at the School Board meeting today. He told Board members that in recent days he had ignored his health and his family.
He entered the Board meeting limping. Several members of the audience could be heard snickering.
He did not say what medical problems he suffered. Channel 7 in Miami said he needed a knee replacement.
Tindall said the leave would last up to eight weeks, but was unclear on whether he would ever return.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, he immediately left the Board meeting after his announcement.
Although they were colleagues – both worked in Chicago — someone had to take the fall for the failure to get the schools buses to pick up children on time.
Runcie is not only under tremendous pressure from parents. There were also political careers at stake with two School Board members on the ballot in November — Robin Bartleman and Donna Korn.
It was clear that Tindall couldn’t stand up to the heat. His public statements had become increasingly bizarre.
A few days ago, Tindall was quoted in the Sun-Sentinel as saying that he feared for his safety due to the hostility from union workers who resisted the changes he instituted.
He told the paper he moved his family out of town.
If you believe Tindall, you need to go out an buy a gun quickly. You never know when a wave of angry union bus drivers will sweep through Broward, threatening everybody who ever criticized a labor organization!
Oh, pleeeeze. Tindall has obviously been spending too much time watching On The Waterfront with its thuggish union boss Johnny Friendly.
But bus drivers union chief Dan Reynolds is no Johnny Friendly.
Now that Tindall is gone, maybe Runcie can get somebody who is firmly planted on the planet earth to fix the problem…immediately.
September 5th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Or, better yet, Runcie can just follow Tindall… Back To Chicago!!!
September 5th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
I agree with Robin, as she actually goes out and campaigns and fights to keep her seat. Where is Korn? She doesnt even go to Republican events?
September 5th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Just curious, how much will 8 weeks medical leave after 3-4 months on the job and future severance package cost the taxpayers, for this glorious excercise of leadership?
September 5th, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Mr Runcie is another Chicago style boss.incompetent and arrogant.Send him back to Chicago.The board members should fire him or be fire.we the voters are waiting for action.
September 5th, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Mr. Tindall began his job on November 1, 2011. He has been on the job just over 10 months, not 3-4.
September 6th, 2012 at 1:18 am
Someone please keep us informed as to how much of our taxpayer $$$$ Tindall will go back to Chicago with. The way things are going our kids will grow up to be stupid! Not that stupid didn’t work well financially for many of Broward County’s leaders.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:14 am
Let’s remind Mr Tindall to return his county’s issued vehicle back to the garage.We can’t afford to have him going around town (specially to his favorite liquor store).May be when he is out he gets to get his Fla Driver’s License.Its been more than 180 days already since he got the job.The same goes to Mr. Woods and the rest of the Chicago Gang.
Mr Runcie mentioned that he has put additional district personel to take care of the routes,but he failed to tell the public that those “HELPERS” are being paid overtime rate due to the fact that they start driving the p.m. routes after completing their regular 8 hours assigned job.Some of them making close to $46.00 per hour..I wonder how the Fla. Dept. of transportation feels about having people behind a wheel of a school bus with an average of 65 students
after spending close to 9 hours of work with an average temperature of 87 degrees.To me that’s not safe.
September 6th, 2012 at 9:55 am
With unemployment as high as it is, what is the excuse for not filling all the drivers positions? I bet lots of people would like a nice government job like that.
September 6th, 2012 at 11:39 am
the 8 or so weeks of medical leave will get him to a one year ‘anniversary’ with SBBC. guess his contract must have some ‘sweet deal’ requiring the ‘one year’. he can peddle his resume while on sick leave and still appear to be employed. why do taxpayers get had again and again? from every tax payer funded operation?
September 6th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
dont know all the facts but did get behind a school bus Tuesday…The driver did 20 in 30 and wouldn’t turn right on red onto an empty street
September 6th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Don’t feel bad Mr.Runcie. When you have a “Grand Jury” that basiclly states that they (the board) are totally useless and if they had the Auhority would suspend, terminate all of them, then what do you expect. This man wa s threatened”blood will be shed” and “don’t tread on me” -really maim who th e hell do you think you are? So you all got Mr.Tinsdale fired-congrats. You to Nora Rupert, w/ your deep pockets w/ your campaign contributions or should I say your pay offs. So you bowed down to them Mr.Runcie-in a way I can’t blame you. So are we back to aunties, uncles cousins, etc making all kinds of money at taxpayer expense. If it was me, I would have charged these select few w/ “child endarement” Screw w/ me, play dirty, I can play dirtier. I know alot of you ar e thinking its not fair Robert Walsh w/ your affliations w/ La Casta Nostra, Latin Kings and the Winter hill gang, and one phone call and lets say I can make your life a living hell, yes your right its not fair, then don’t screw around w/ me, when all I’m trying to do(attempt) is make sure the residents don’t get taken for a ride, and misuse your tax dollars to enrich your own lifes. So yes its not fair that Robert Walsh has these connections(toooo bad). And yes they all OWE me favors, let’s just say itgoes back to those damn fake Gucci hand bags. Rest in peace Bernie…..
September 6th, 2012 at 6:09 pm
Walsh, You have no clue…. Tindall needed his ass kicked all the way back to Chicago. The Chicago team will drag transportation down, show how ineffective it is, privatize it and stuff their pockets with loot. Tindall mucked up everything he touched. He was supposed to have Runcie’s back and not only didn’t have his six…. stuck it up his six. Runcie knew what was going on…
September 6th, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Mike Cook, Welcome back from the dead….
September 6th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Thank you doctor S. its always a pleasure to come back once in a while & check on the old crew from way above while riding my Harley…
September 7th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
http://thewestsidegazette.com/employees-blame-gross-mismanagement-for-conditions-within-the-broward-school-districts-transportation-department-3/
[…] the problems go far deeper than the debacle that occurred on the first day of school when Broward County school bus drivers learned about their routes for the first time, resulting in mass confusion among parents, students and drivers alike.
As morale within the Transportation Department continues to plummet, allegations of widespread cronyism, bullying, and even illegal employment practices continue to swirl around the District’s Transportation Chief, Chester Tindall, with calls for his ouster escalating.
Tindall, a consultant recruited from Chicago by Superintendent Runcie, and reportedly paid $125,000 a year, has been described as arrogant, divisive, and callous toward his workers. He is also said to be patently violating worker’s rights after employees complained bitterly of being fired without cause, and laid off while workers with less seniority assumed their positions, leading to investigations by the EEOC and the Federation of Public Employees, the union representing the bus drivers. Exacerbating matters, Tindall has repeatedly ignored summons to appear at union grievance talks.
Other employees have filed lawsuits claiming racial discrimination and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Allegations have even surfaced claiming that employees have been pressured into withdrawing from the union in order to keep their jobs, a charge that is currently under investigation by the union. […]
September 7th, 2012 at 6:45 pm
He is not out. He is hiding. Because you will all forget. Criminals always do that.
September 19th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Chester Tindall will be taking a lot of tax payer dollars and hurt families in the process
who will be the ones to find out if the employee is still receiving direct deposit.