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Board hears bid results for EV bus lease and interior renovations; business administrator flags rising special‑education and benefits costs
Summary
The district reported winning bids for an EV bus lease and for bundled high‑school interior renovations; administrators said the EV lease will cover roughly $800,000 beyond grant proceeds and the lowest lease offer carried a 4.1% interest rate.
School Business Administrator Eric Thomasovich told the board the district held two successful bid openings: one for an electric‑vehicle (EV) bus lease and another for interior renovations at Leonia High School.
On the EV bus lease he said the district is leasing the portion the grant will not cover — "roughly a little over $800,000" — and received three bids, with the lowest bidder offering a 4.1% interest rate. Thomasovich said the recommended lease package and closing documents were under legal review and would be presented to the board for approval.
On interior renovations at Leonia High School, the district bundled three projects: the media center, the weight/fitness room and art‑room repairs related to August storm damage. Thomasovich said the media‑center lowest bid came in about $120,000 under projected cost; the weight room bid was about $12,000 over projected cost and the art room work is pending insurance approval. He said the projects are tied together administratively and the district expects an award recommendation for final board action when insurance decisions are complete; staff anticipated a March 11 closeout/approval packet for the board.
Thomasovich also reported on the district budget outlook. He said health‑benefit costs are projected at an approximate 14% increase per the district's broker and general‑liability insurance projections around 8%. He said special‑education costs continue to rise year over year, in part because of tuition for students placed out of district. He referenced an IDEA grant currently used to help offset special‑education costs — "roughly about $350,000" — and said the district typically budgets conservatively (using 75–80% of a current award figure) in the face of funding uncertainty.
Thomasovich said the district had investigated privatizing health insurance but did not receive viable private proposals because of the district's claim loss ratio. He asked the board to note that federal and state grant funding remains uncertain until the governor's budget address and county/state guidance are finalized. No final budget votes were taken at the meeting; the board's finance committee will continue to review the budget and projected grant assumptions.
Thomasovich thanked board counsel, the district architect and staff for reviewing bids and preparing the procurement packaging and noted he expected to return to the full board with recommendations once insurance approvals and final bid reviews were complete.
