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Board weighs grant-funded radar school-zone signs, asks staff to return with final costs
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Summary
The board discussed replacing aging school-zone signs with grant-funded radar signs that would give the district local control; staff were asked to confirm cooperative purchasing status and return with final quotes (estimates ranged from about $38,000 to about $63,000–$65,000).
Board members discussed two vendor proposals for new digital, radar-enabled school-zone signs that would let the district control timing and display speeds remotely.
Superintendent Dr. Schultz said he has two quotes: a lower-cost option that appears to integrate with county-controlled signage (roughly $38,000) and a school-specific product with built-in flashing lights and remote control that is roughly $63,000 to $65,000 once breakaway bases and installation are included. "We have to repair them when they get taken out by drivers or snowstorms," he said, arguing the autonomous signs would save recurring charges for the county to change timing.
Board members pressed operational questions about how quickly the county would change sign timing for delays, whether the county charges each visit and whether insurance covers vandalism; Dr. Schultz said insurance would cover replacement but deductible differences need to be weighed. He also said the sign units discussed are solar-powered with backup batteries and that grant funds are available to cover the purchase.
Placement and count: Dr. Schultz outlined ordering 12 signs to cover multiple school corridors (two on Smith, two on Dean, two on Monroe, two on Douglas, two at the junior high and two at Jackman Road) so that each campus would have coverage.
Next steps: The board expressed consensus to pursue the school-specific, autonomous signs. Dr. Schultz will check whether the desired product is available through cooperative purchasing (Sourcewell or similar) to determine if an RFP is required and will return with final cost figures that include breakaway bases and installation.
Why it matters: Board members said local control of school-zone signage could improve safety, reduce recurring county charges and better align signage with school schedules.
