After negotiating for nearly 18 months, the Jordan-Elbridge Central School District and its bus drivers may be close to finalizing a new contract.

“We're hoping by the end of the week,” bus driver Dave Tripp said, who is acting as the liaison between the drivers and the district in the negotiations. “So pretty close. All the major details have already been done and agreed upon.”

The bus drivers - who up until recently were members of the Civil Service Employees Association union - have been operating without a contract since June 30, 2007.

In March, the district and CSEA turned to mediators as internal efforts to negotiate a new contract ended in an impasse.

However, the status of the negotiations changed when the bus drivers petitioned to the state Public Employment Relations Board to discontinue membership to CSEA, citing an overall lack of representation and communication, Tripp said.

Bus drivers voted to withdraw membership from CSEA on Dec. 2, PERB Executive Director Anthony Zumbolo said, and are now without a collective bargaining unit. PERB will take no further action in the matter.

Tripp said CSEA gave him authorization to continue negotiating and complete a new contract.

“I'm trying to keep everyone happy,” Tripp said, “especially on the CSEA side so we can finish this contract.”

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net