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District reports $1.38 million in capital work, adds propane buses and a wheelchair-accessible bus
Summary
Operations director James Mapes outlined a series of capital projects and maintenance expenses funded from PI money and grants, including 16 new propane buses supported by a $400,000 Clean Air grant, upgrades to bus GPS systems, roofing and HVAC changes, camera upgrades and an unplanned fire-pump replacement.
James Mapes, the district’s executive director of operations, presented the annual capital project update at the July 21 board meeting, listing recent purchases, repairs and grant-funded items the district completed or expects to complete in the school calendar year.
Mapes said the district purchased 16 new propane buses — bringing the district to 36 propane buses total — using a $400,000 EPA Clean Air grant. He said those grant conditions require retired diesel buses to be made inoperable. He also reported a $4,093.40 cost for new GPS units that provide parents with bus location and push-notification features.
Mapes provided a running total of capital costs of roughly $1,380,179 (reported in the presentation as "$1,380,000 and 179"). Specific items he listed included roof repairs at Fort Meggs ("693,220" listed in his remarks), an unplanned electrical main-line replacement at the junior high ($26,727), an additional propane fuel tank ($8,600) to help refuel buses, $70,000 for music instruments and repairs, $50,000 for classroom furniture, and $47,273 to upgrade older bus camera systems. He said an elevator repair at the junior high was covered by insurance.
Mapes also explained a shift in HVAC services: the district ended a $120,000 HVAC contract and had a district employee complete technical coursework (class at Penta) so the district can buy parts and perform more work in-house. Mapes estimated savings to date of about $120,000 and cited upfront costs of $45,420 for software and tools and $25,858 for parts.
Unexpected expenses included a $55,419.06 fire-pump replacement at the high school that led to a temporary fire watch, and an aerial lift replacement that cost roughly $130,000 in total, with a district share of $43,389. Mapes said he and staff seek multiple quotes for purchases and use grant funds when available. He also noted a lease-purchase decision for some buses is being funded from the general fund rather than PI going forward.
Board members asked which projects were “unexpected;” Mapes identified the fire pump, the Fort Meggs roof work (insurance helped some costs) and an electrical main line failure as unplanned. Discussion also covered where bus and lease purchases are charged (PI versus general fund) and the higher cost of wheelchair-accessible buses: Mapes said a wheelchair bus typically costs around $120,000 but the model discussed was $151,000 due to lifts and safety equipment.
Ending: The board accepted the update and approved consent items later in the meeting; no separate formal vote specific to Mapes’s report was recorded during the presentation.
