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Manassas Park board approves purchase of two school buses with ESSER III funds; electric option deferred
Summary
The Manassas Park City Schools board approved the purchase of two school buses using ESSER III funds, while discussion about switching to electric buses was deferred pending facility upgrades and coordination with the city.
Manassas Park City Schools on an unspecified meeting date voted to approve the purchase of two school buses, with the district saying Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) funds will cover 100% of the cost.
The vote matters because it commits the district to a capital purchase paid entirely from ESSER III funds and starts procurement steps that the district says will occur when the new fiscal year opens.
Staff member Mister Lyons told the board a price quote from vendor Kings Moore Supply is in the consent documentation and that ESSER III funds will fund the full purchase. Lyons said the buses were included in a budget amendment presented last fall and that the district will move forward with a purchase order when the new fiscal year opens. A motion to approve the purchase passed on a roll-call vote with five affirmative votes.
Board members asked whether the district has considered electric buses. A board member requested a cost and longevity comparison and noted operational concerns on longer routes. Mister Lyons and others said electric buses remain under consideration but the district currently lacks the facility infrastructure — charging equipment and space — needed to support them at the transportation facility behind the middle school. Lyons said the district and the city have discussed a potential shared transportation facility that could create the necessary infrastructure. The board chair said she would check with the mayor about the city's position on consolidating transportation resources and electric-bus readiness.
Board members also confirmed maintenance requirements are included in the procurement planning. The purchase was approved by roll call: Rachel Kirkland — yes; Paul Alexander — yes; Stacy Seiberling — yes; Carlos Vargas — yes; Shontay Jones — yes.
Next steps reported at the meeting: staff will issue the purchase order after the new fiscal year opens and follow up with the city on the feasibility of a shared transportation facility that could support electric buses in the future.
