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Board approves transportation plan and network upgrades; trustees debate wireless exposure
Summary
The board approved the district's 2025-26 transportation plan to secure state reimbursements and a Category 2 E-Rate network upgrade (85% discount). Trustees questioned wireless portions of the technology plan and asked for clarification on hardwiring and school-closure impacts; E-Rate upgrades passed with one dissension on RF exposure concerns.
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District board approved the annual transportation plan that enables state reimbursement for student transportation and continued funding for routes, fleet upkeep and special-education transport.
Transportation staff reported the district operates more than 54 multi-tiered routes and runs roughly 4,000 miles daily, plus after-school routes. The presentation noted a driver-shortage improvement (about 12 open positions, down from more than 20 last year), and that 11 of the district's 102 buses are electric with six more in grant pipelines. Trustees thanked departing staff and praised recent investments in buses.
Separately, the board considered a Category 2 E-Rate proposal to upgrade internal network connections, core switches and some wireless access. Staff said the program covers internal connections (85% discount under E-Rate) with the district funding the remaining 15% from general funds. The presentation emphasized much of the work is hardwired cabling and core upgrades, while some wireless components are upgrades to existing access points.
Public commenters and one trustee raised concerns about radiofrequency exposure from wireless elements; speakers asked whether upgrades could be limited to hardwired solutions and whether district office or school-site closures should alter site selection. Staff said the majority of the project is hardwired infrastructure and that approving the contract authorizes work on the oldest sites; final site deployment could be adjusted if school closures move forward.
Votes: the transportation plan was approved (vote recorded as 6-0-1). The E-Rate network infrastructure item passed in a 5-1-1 vote (one trustee opposed citing wireless health concerns). The board directed staff to return with administrative details for implementation and confirmed the E-Rate match would come from general funds reserved for those projects.
