Solon City board awards $268,000 masonry contract, approves bus purchases and warns of driver shortages

The Solon City School Board voted Monday to award a $268,000 contract for masonry repairs at its maintenance and bus-storage building, authorized the district to pursue bids for five new school buses through the Ohio Schools Council, and heard administrators warn of persistent shortages of bus drivers and substitute teachers.

The board unanimously approved a low bid from Mid State Restoration Team for the west-side masonry repair of the building that houses the district’s buses and maintenance operations. The district described the work as the first phase of several exterior-envelope repairs and said the contractor has previously worked on district projects.

Board members then authorized the district to advertise and secure cooperative bids to purchase five school buses for the 2026–27 school year using the Ohio Schools Council procurement process. District staff said lead times for buses have lengthened, and ordering now is intended to avoid gaps in the replacement schedule.

“We need at least four more drivers to start the year in order to be reasonably safe,” Superintendent Bolden said while reporting on transportation staffing. Bolden also said the district currently employs 44 certified drivers and that, after known retirements, it needs 43 to operate scheduled routes — leaving a thin margin and prompting recruitment efforts. He urged residents to attend a weekend “Drive the Bus” recruitment event and said the district offers flexible schedules and mid-day opportunities to combine driving with other work.

Board members were told the district is also struggling to fill substitute-teacher slots. “We’re running at about a 25% not-filling rate,” Bolden said, describing the district’s current shortfall and asking interested applicants to apply online.

During discussion of bus procurement, Bolden outlined the district’s reservations about electric buses. “The technology is not mature enough for us to make that change,” he said, citing higher upfront costs, reduced winter range, maintenance complexity and uncertainty about future grant availability. The district said it continues to use clean diesel buses with fuel additives and expects a 12–15 year service life for current buses.

Other business approved by the board included routine personnel and finance items: approval of the minutes from Feb. 24; payment of bills totaling $21,214.64; the retirement of Elise Kircher after 19 years; approval of a substitute teacher; certification of district bus drivers in accordance with Ohio Administrative Code rules governing driver qualifications; and tuition reimbursements listed in the meeting attachments.

Administrators also highlighted extracurricular successes and community programs: Samantha Singleton won the state gymnastics vault title and earned a bronze in floor exercise; Eric Del Torto won the 60-meter hurdles in indoor track; Hugo Hill and Varsheeth Nimgata were state champions in two-person policy debate and the speech-and-debate team finished third overall. The board announced the spring musical performances in April (tickets on the district website) and noted participation in the Dazzle Awards.

The district’s Harvest for Hunger food drive, run in partnership with the Solon Fire Department, is collecting nonperishable items (most-needed items listed in district communications). Administrators reminded families that March 14 is the deadline to register kindergarten students who will be 5 by Aug. 1 to guarantee placement at their home school, and they confirmed spring break dates in late March.

The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn; the board scheduled its next meeting for April 7 at the board office.