Board approves recycling-equipment grant and EducationQuest college-access grant; consent agenda passes

At its Jan. 27 meeting the Lincoln Public Schools Board approved staff requests to pursue grant-funded recycling equipment and approved a college-access grant for Lincoln North Star.

Anthony Meints presented a returned grant package after staff learned last fall that the equipment portion of an earlier sustainability grant was not funded. Meints said the district identified an alternate grant to purchase equipment to expand compost collection to include restroom paper-towel waste and to standardize recycling and trash containers across schools; equipment would be purchased once the grant is received and deployed to schools primarily over the summer.

Separately, the board approved, by motion and roll-call vote, the EducationQuest College Access Grant for Lincoln North Star. No dollar amount for the EducationQuest grant was specified in the Jan. 27 discussion.

Earlier in the meeting the board also moved and approved the consent agenda — routine business and human-resources items — by roll-call vote.

Board members expressed support for sustainability work and for district operations staff who will implement the recycling equipment changes. Staff said they will return with details as the equipment is purchased and schools are scheduled for deployment.