The buildings, food service and transportation committee on May 20 approved multiple short-term bus lease agreements and discussed a policy proposal to standardize how routine leases are handled.

The board authorized a bus lease with the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center to provide buses for 4-H youth activities, effective June 17 to June 20, 2025. The agreement requires mileage reimbursement equal to 50% of the cost of one gallon of fuel at time of travel with a minimum per-mile fee of $2.50, that the lessee provide and pay bus drivers approved by the district, and that the lessee meet the districts insurance requirements.

The committee also approved a lease with Bayou Land YMCA for summer-camp transportation from June 13 to July 25, 2025, under the same mileage, driver and insurance terms.

Board member Matthew Ford urged the district to develop a standard internal policy so routine, recurring bus leases and fees could be handled administratively by transportation staff without coming to the board each time. "Maybe the only things that would come to the board would be yearly updates or in the event that they're asking for these fees to be waived," Ford said. Another member asked staff to prepare an annual list of recurring lessees for the board.

Committee members approved both agreements and asked staff to consider a template or standing policy for recurring outside-use bus agreements to increase consistency and reduce repeated board votes.