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Wicomico board approves four‑year lease to replace district computers
Summary
The Wicomico County Board of Education approved using Maryland Education Enterprise Consortium contracts and a four‑year lease‑purchase agreement with Bank of America Public Capital Corporation to replace the district’s student and staff computers, voting 6–0.
The Wicomico County Board of Education approved a four‑year lease‑purchase agreement for replacement computers on the recommendation of the superintendent, voting unanimously in an immediate roll call.
Board members voted to use Maryland Education Enterprise Consortium contracts and to enter a lease‑purchase with Bank of America Public Capital Corporation, identified in the meeting as the evaluated low, responsive and responsible bidder subject to final negotiation of the lease agreement.
The superintendent said the lease will fund replacement of the district’s elementary devices and portions of secondary and staff fleets. “We typically purchase them over the lease so we can spread that purchase, the price over a number of years, and we have that budgeted for this year, and we'll continue budgeting it throughout the term of the lease,” the superintendent said.
Board member Mr. Palmer asked about fleet size; the superintendent replied the inventory totals about 7,500 devices and represents “the entire fleet that was purchased at the beginning of COVID.” Board members asked what would happen to the replaced devices; staff said the district contracts with e‑cycling vendors that either refurbish and resell devices or dismantle them for parts and scrap, and that the district receives some funds for that work.
The board conducted a roll call for the motion. Votes recorded were: Mr. Palmer, aye; Ms. Hazel, aye; Mr. Plots, aye; Mr. Brown, aye; Dr. Ennis, aye; the chair voted aye. The chair noted board member Beauchamp was on vacation and the vote was 6–0 in favor.
The board did not finalize detailed lease terms during the public session; staff said final negotiation of the lease agreement remains subject to completion of those terms.
The superintendent and technology staff said the plan calls for Chromebooks at the elementary level and Windows PCs at the secondary level, and that the district will budget the resulting lease payments over the lease term.
