The District #18 Board of Education Monday night took care of an immediate need with the purchase of a new activity bus.
Board members Ryan Reestman and Stan Heithoff, members of the board’s transportation committee presented bids from two companies. After board members reviewed the specs, they voted to purchase a Bluebird 2013 stock demo model at a cost of $87,250. If the dealer, Nebraska Central Equipment Inc. in Grand Island no longer has that model, the board agreed to purchase another Bluebird 2013 model at a cost not to exceed $90,000.
Superintendent Steve Dennis said the current activity bus, which seats 59 people, will become a route bus when the new bus arrives.
As is the case with most school board meetings, board members dealt with a number of financial decisions. In the course of the meeting which lasted more than two hours, board members did the following:
• Raised the cost of student lunch prices for the 2012-2013 school year. Lunch prices for students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade will be $2 while students in grades 7-12 will pay $2.25. Each age group was raised ten cents from the amount they paid one year ago.
• Approved salary increases for classified staff. The salary increases were around 3.5 percent, Dennis said.
• Purchased carpet for five areas at a cost of $7,771,
• Approved a preventative maintenance program for the school’s Promethean boards. The boards will be serviced four times a year at a cost of just over $2,560. The purchase was approved on a five-to-one vote (board members Steve Heithoff voting ‘no’).
• Made a payment of $5,379.28 to Schmitt Construction Co. The amount is a partial payment for summer projects being done at the school.
• With Principal Adam Patrick taking on additional duties as K-12 Principal, the board approved an increase in pay, making his salary $79,000.
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