Oyster River board approves 25¢ meal increase, three‑bus purchase and appoints grievance subcommittee

The Oyster River Cooperative School District board on Aug. 6 approved a series of routine and budget‑related actions, including a 25¢ increase in paid meal prices for breakfast and lunch, an installment‑purchase agreement to buy three buses totaling $410,367, and a vote to appoint the negotiations committee to hear grievances.

The board voted unanimously on the meals increase after a presentation by Meredith, the district’s food service director, who said rising food costs and aging equipment had exhausted the department’s fund balance. Meredith told the board the Nutrition Department expects to carry roughly $26,000 into FY26 and that the proposed 25¢ increase in paid meal prices would generate about $34,000 based on October 2024 participation figures the Department of Education uses for its paid‑equity tool. “If one child were to eat every day with us... the impact of the $0.25 would only be about $40 a year,” Meredith said during the presentation.

The board also authorized entering a five‑year installment purchase agreement with Daimler Truck Financing to acquire three buses costing $410,367. The district explained the purchase follows its annual bus replacement plan; staff said the fleet currently includes 28 77‑passenger diesel buses, six vans and two minibuses and that this year’s replacement includes three vehicles.

On personnel matters, the board approved a unanimous consent agenda that included approvals of a maternity leave of absence, nominations of department heads and activity stipends for the 2025‑26 school year, and other routine appointments. The board later separately approved the high‑school department heads and activity stipends after a question about one stipend.

Board members also voted to appoint the negotiations committee — composed of board members Denise Deyette, Heather Smith and Renee Bennett — to hear grievances, a procedural change advised by district counsel meant to streamline scheduling of grievance hearings.

All recorded roll calls for these motions showed the five board members voting in favor; the student representative stated support as well. No motions failed or were tabled during the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Meal price increase (motion to raise paid breakfast and lunch prices by $0.25): Motion made and seconded; approved (Yes: 5 board members; student representative stated in favor). Food service director reported a $26,000 fund balance carryover and an estimated $34,000 additional revenue from the increase based on October 2024 participation.

- Bus purchase (motion to enter a 5‑year installment purchase agreement with Daimler Truck Financing for three buses, $410,367): Motion made and seconded; approved (Yes: 5 board members; student representative stated in favor). District noted this is part of routine replacement under the fleet plan (three buses this year).

- Negotiations committee authority (motion to appoint the negotiations committee to hear grievances): Motion by a board member, seconded; approved (Yes: 5 board members; student representative stated in favor). Negotiations committee members identified in meeting as Denise Deyette, Heather Smith and Renee Bennett.

- Unanimous consent agenda (including maternity leave of absence, nominations for department heads and activity stipends for 2025‑26): Motion made and seconded; approved (Yes: 5 board members; student representative stated in favor). One high‑school stipend was pulled for clarification and later approved.

What the board said

Meredith, the district’s food service director, summarized meal participation and the department’s fiscal position: “We served a total of 16,206 lunches within all four schools in that October 2024... the impact of the $0.25 would only be about $40 a year,” she said. On buses, Amy Ransom (staff) provided a memo and staff explained the purchase is financed via a five‑year agreement that will result in district ownership at the end of the term.

Next steps

District staff will implement the meal price change for the 2025‑26 school year and proceed with the financed bus purchase under the approved agreement. The negotiations committee is now authorized to schedule and hear grievance matters as they arise; the board retained the option to involve the full board for larger issues, the district said.