Board extends Greenlink contract, district plans to apply for 10 more electric buses

The Lansing Public School District Board of Education voted to extend and increase the not‑to‑exceed cap of its contract with Greenlink Education, the district’s green‑energy partner, and received a staff notice of intent to apply for additional electric school buses.

During committee and consent‑agenda discussion, board members highlighted Greenlink’s grant‑seeking work and returned value. A facilities committee report noted Greenlink had produced a strong return on investment for previous work; a committee member said Greenlink’s work returned roughly $64 for every $1 the district spent. The board considered a request to increase Greenlink Education’s fiscal‑year contract cap by $50,000 to reflect additional hours spent on competitive grant work, including an application tied to an approximately $20 million community grant.

Trustee Curran moved to approve the contract extension with the increased cap; the motion was seconded and approved 8–0.

Separately, the board received a briefing from district staff indicating the district intends to apply for a lottery opportunity to secure an additional 10 electric school buses. Staff said the new buses would be housed at Dean and would include charging stations. The staff presentation noted the district had already been awarded 20 electric buses in prior state and federal awards and described the additional 10‑bus application as fully reimbursable if awarded.

Board members asked whether solar panels were part of the Greenlink contract; staff clarified the district has separate contracts for solar‑panel work and for Greenlink’s broader green initiatives. No additional financial appropriation for the bus application was requested at the meeting; staff said the prospective award would be fully reimbursable.

The board approved the contract extension and noted continued oversight as staff pursue grant opportunities and project implementation.