Unidentified Speaker (Speaker 3) moved that the committee "recommend to the full board to authorize lease purchase of a new school bus," and Speaker 5 seconded the motion (SEG 286–288). Staff explained the bank is requesting an attorney opinion because, after the district’s first payment, the obligation will exceed $100,000 and thus requires board authorization (SEG 177–185, SEG 336–344).

The committee discussed why the bus price has increased. Speakers cited expanded camera and communication systems and a larger vehicle capacity as major cost drivers. One member described the model as a "flat nose" design that allows roughly seven additional seats and provides improved forward visibility (SEG 196–212, SEG 224–236). Another speaker described modern stop‑arm and side cameras and said delivery and added electronics — not only vehicle list price — are contributing to higher costs (SEG 206–214, SEG 306–313).

A figure of $185,000 was invoked in the discussion as a point of comparison when members assessed whether the bus was "middle of the road" for equipment and features; an earlier numeric line in the transcript was garbled and is noted as unclear in the record (SEG 327). The transcript does not record a formal roll‑call tally for the committee’s motion; the motion was made and seconded and the committee prepared the item to be forwarded to the full board for action (SEG 286–289, SEG 336–350).

No final purchase contract or final appropriation was authorized by the full board in this meeting; the committee’s stated next step was to place the item on the full board agenda and to secure the attorney opinion required by the bank. Staff indicated the bus has been in procurement queues since late winter of the prior year and that lead times can be lengthy (SEG 219–223, SEG 320–324).

The meeting record shows the committee’s discussion of trade‑offs between capacity, maneuverability on rural roads, maintenance considerations, and equipment upgrades, and it notes that the facilities and transportation committees will also review the item before the full board acts.

The committee did not provide a binding purchase authorization at this meeting; the action recorded in the transcript is a committee recommendation to the full board pending the attorney opinion and any subsequent votes by the full board.