Trustees question high bus repair bills and outside vendors; staff says district has one mechanic

Trustees raised concerns about amounts paid to outside vendors for contracted services that support district operations — particularly for school-bus repairs — during the May 27 meeting.

One trustee asked about Porter International and whether the district—s insurance should cover bus-service costs: "Porter International. And they service our buses. Do we not have, insurance to do that? Doesn't it cover that?" the trustee asked. Staff responded that the district uses outside vendors for certain repairs and that those invoices sometimes include both labor and parts.

Trustees noted several high-cost repair items on contracted-services lists. At one point a trustee said the highest repair amount was "almost 7,000" and in another discussion suggested costs approaching "almost 10" (transcript indicates near $10,000). Staff noted the district has one mechanic to service its fleet and that complex repairs and parts sometimes require outside specialists. A trustee asked whether the work was primarily maintenance or replacement of failed components; staff indicated invoices typically show "labor, parts" breakdowns.

The board also asked about contracted security and access services and whether some costs were funded through grants; staff said some security system and services spending has been paid from safety/security grants rather than the general fund in recent months.

Trustees requested follow-up to understand whether insurance, in-house capacity, or warranty coverage should be used before engaging outside vendors and asked staff to provide more detailed breakdowns for high-cost items.