WESTBROOK – Peggy Bowden and Joan Harmon have been working for the Westbrook School Department’s transportation department for 50 years between them, but a reconfiguration will move Harmon out of the department and split up the team that many bus drivers credit for keeping things running smoothly.

“You don’t break up a good team,” said Douglas Stailing, a school bus driver and former South Portland police officer. “Everything is working now. It’s just adding more stress up here.”

As part of the newly passed $32.1 million school budget, a new transportation coordinator will be hired. Eliminating one of the two administrative assistant positions held by Bowden and Harmon is offsetting the cost of the position. Bowden makes approximately $36,000 and Harmon’s salary is $27,000. According to information provided in the School Committee packet, the new position will pay $45,000.

Both women applied for the job and both were turned down in favor of Cindy Button, who was scheduled to be hired by the School Committee during its meeting June 19, after the American Journal’s deadline.

Harmon, who has been working with the district since 1992, has less seniority than Bowden, who has been working as a bus driver and now administrative assistant since 1984.

Marc Gousse, Westbrook school superintendent, said Button’s nomination was unanimous by the hiring committee.

“She was the best and most qualified person for the position,” said Gousse. “Generally we always look to advance people in our system, but it’s our charge when dealing with positions of this nature to look for the best candidate possible.”

Button now is the transportation director at School Administrative District 60 in North Berwick.

“Cindy has really good skills and is one of the few certified transportation directors in the state,” said Steven Connolly, superintendent of SAD 60.

According to Gousse, there are only two other certified transportation directors in Maine.

Connolly said his district is merging positions with other nearby school districts to offset costs and a new transportation hire from the outside is being brought in to take over Button’s role.

Westbrook has seen several changes in the past few years in the area of school transportation. This year, the transportation department had to make new routes for many of its buses when Prides Corner Elementary School was closed and students in kindergarten through fourth grade were scattered among the three remaining elementary schools. Middle school and high school bus routes were also separated.

Harmon said she’s worked under four different directors in the past three years and none of them spent much of their time within the transportation office. Dean Flanagin, director of operations, is now in charge of the transportation department, but because of his many duties, the new position was created to help manage the department.

“We’re upset. Peggy has 30 years here. She knows the programs inside and out. With 30 years experience, she should be considered. This will be the fourth administrator coming in and then they leave us to pick up the pieces. We trust them [Bowden and Harmon] and they trust us,” said Patricia Harkins, a full-time bus driver.

To attract attention to the situation, bus drivers on Monday showed their support for Harmon and Bowden by putting up six signs in front of the Transportation Department. The signs were removed by Monday afternoon.

“We have some good people here who’ve done a great job. They ought to let them have an opportunity. The bus director position is paying a lot more and we already have qualified people working for less money,” said Paul Desfosses, a full-time bus driver. “In the past three years we’ve had little complaints. Last year we had a major change and it went virtually problem free. She’s [Bowden] been here many, many years, first as a driver, then working in the office. She knows the students, she knows the people, she knows the routes. You wouldn’t bring someone in from the Army to steer a Navy ship. I hope the school board looks at this just to look at what’s best for the city.”

Harmon said late last week she heard she would be moving departments next year, while Bowden will stay at the transportation department and work under the new director.

“I love this position, and Peggy does, too. It will be hard. I’ve been in the department up here for 18 years between the bus and being in the office,” Harmon said.

On Monday morning, signs outside the Transportation Department building on Saco Street put up by school bus drivers show support for the two administrative assistants who have been running the department. This one says “Peggy and Joan are the heart of transportation.” The signs were removed later in the day.