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Board presses for faster repairs after child-nutrition refrigerated truck held up by USDA shipment
Summary
Repairs to a district refrigerated box truck are delayed because food remains in the vehicle pending warehouse space; mechanics reported battery replacement and suspect injector failure and are awaiting an estimate from the vendor. Board members asked staff to check schools for temporary storage and report back quickly.
District mechanics told the Caswell County Schools Board on April 7 that repairs to the school nutrition department's refrigerated box truck are delayed because the truck still contains food and the department is awaiting room in the warehouse to empty it.
Mister Bradine (mechanic) said the maintenance team has started diagnostics and completed some work: batteries have been replaced and the symptoms point to a likely injector problem; the district is awaiting an estimate from a sales representative with White's International. The school nutrition director told the board the department had a scheduled USDA delivery and needed to retain product in the truck until warehouse space became available.
Board members expressed frustration at the pace of repairs and raised operational concerns: food being kept in the vehicle is preventing mechanics from pulling the truck into the bay; another USDA shipment of about 100 cases was expected, which would further delay work; and there were reports that, at times, food has been transported in non-refrigerated vehicles to schools. Board members asked the director to ask each school whether it can temporarily store food so mechanics can bring the truck into the bay and complete repairs promptly.
Administrators explained there are constraints on moving food into maintenance bays because oils and solvents create a cross-contamination concern and produce should not be stored near hazardous materials. The board asked staff to check school-by-school and return with options, with at least one board member urging that a solution be found by the end of the week.
No vote was taken. The maintenance director said he would provide price estimates and a repair timeline after receiving vendor information; school nutrition staff will report on temporary storage options to expedite repairs.
