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Board hears that Child Nutrition vehicles are in disrepair; staff proposes options including surplus bus, rental or state-contract purchase
Summary
Child Nutrition reported a broken refrigerated van and a nonoperational freezer box truck; staff proposed using a surplus activity bus converted to carry hot/cold food, renting a vehicle, or buying on state contract while documenting interim transport procedures.
Child Nutrition leaders told the Caswell County Board of Education that the department's refrigerated delivery capability is currently compromised and outlined short- and medium-term options to restore compliant meal transport.
Director-level staff explained that the department's van recently failed and an estimated repair was about $18,000; an older box truck used as a freezer backup has been largely inoperable during the current manager's tenure. In the meantime, food deliveries have been made using a county pickup, which lacks temperature control. Board members and staff agreed that transporting perishable food without proper temperature control creates compliance and food-safety risk and must be addressed immediately.
Meeting testimony described three options: (1) repair the existing freezer box truck, which may take weeks and carry uncertain additional repair costs; (2) convert a surplus activity bus (remove seats and install a refrigerator and warmer) that staff say is available but would require mechanics' time and potentially AC work; or (3) procure a refrigerated van off a state contract to avoid a long bid process. Several board members also suggested renting a refrigerated vehicle as an urgent stopgap until a permanent solution is in place.
Staff said converting a surplus bus could require 30-plus days because mechanics prioritize yellow school buses; conversion work would include seat removal and installation and secure mounting of refrigeration equipment. Purchasing a new refrigerated van on state contract was presented as a way to avoid lengthy procurement steps, but board members asked staff to estimate costs and impacts to child-nutrition fund balance (Child Nutrition fund balance was reported at about $100,000 after a $100,000 transfer earlier in the year). The board asked staff to document interim transport procedures (use of insulated bags, ice coolers, temperature logs at dispatch and delivery) and to return with firm vendor quotes, repair estimates and a recommended immediate remedy.
Board members raised compliance concerns: USDA and state food-safety rules require temperature control for certain items; staff noted lettuce and some produce require temperature control and suggested insulated refrigerated bags as an interim mitigation for some deliveries. The board directed staff to explore state-contract purchase options, rental availability, and immediate measures (documented temperature logs, insulated bags and pickup procedures) and to provide cost estimates and timing.
