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Staff pitches dedicated 'activity' team bus; board opts to wait until next budget cycle
Summary
District transportation staff proposed buying a 42-seat 'Bluebird All American' activity bus (vendor bid reported at $257,250 plus about $5,000 in tariffs) and outlined a plan to use transportation and depreciation funds; after budget and timing concerns staff recommended deferring purchase until the next budget year.
Staff member reported a proposal to acquire a 42-passenger Bluebird All American activity bus to serve teams and activities, then be converted to non-route use after about a year. The staff member said the vendor bid on the bus was $257,250 and that recent tariff surcharges had added roughly $5,000 to that price. "We get roughly a 100,000 miles on tire and bus," the staff member said when describing fleet wear and replacement needs.
Why it matters: the district discussed using transportation and depreciation funds to buy the bus without tapping general funds, but staff and other participants warned the depreciation balances and current budget authority do not cover an immediate purchase of a $250k+ vehicle. One staff member summarized cash on hand in bus depreciation and projected income, saying the district had roughly $164,002 now and expected about $220,000 after upcoming tax receipts, with recent depreciation revenue of about $64,000 (elementary) and $50,000 (high school).
Board members and staff discussed alternatives, including wrapping an existing bus, buying a used chassis, or delaying purchase until a planned purchase cycle. The staff member explained a potential approach: purchase the vehicle with transportation funds, keep it painted yellow while it serves routes for a year, then remove the school-bus markings and reassign it as an activity bus, replacing it later using depreciation funds.
One committee member asked about timing and budget authority; staff cautioned that having cash on hand is not the same as having budget authority to spend it in the current fiscal year. "Just because we have the cash doesn't mean we have the budget authority this year," a staff member said, noting that formal budget approval would be required to obligate those funds.
How this will proceed: participants generally agreed the conservative option is to delay a large purchase until the next budget cycle, when budget authority can be set aside and a purchase order timed to the vehicle's arrival. No formal motion or vote was taken; staff were asked to prepare concrete trip/use examples and a budget presentation for the July meeting so the board can reconsider purchase timing with clearer justification.
