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Board reviews five‑year interlocal with Indian River County Sheriff's Office for emergency bus use; members ask for priority language
Summary
Staff presented a proposed five‑year interlocal agreement allowing the sheriff to operate district buses in emergencies; board members sought contractual language to secure student transport priority and to clarify driver assignment/training; staff proposed adding explicit priority language and to confirm details with the sheriff's office.
The board reviewed an interlocal agreement that would allow the Indian River County Sheriff's Office to use district buses during emergencies — for example, hurricane response or inmate transport. The item was introduced as a five‑year agreement that contemplates the sheriff's office operating district buses and, in some cases, district drivers filling in under deputy supervision.
Board members asked whether the district's students would be given priority for buses during emergencies and how drivers would be assigned. Staff said that in a declared state of emergency there would likely be no school operations, but if both facilities had transportation needs priority for student transport would be preserved; staff also said deputies would ride with district drivers if drivers had to backfill for sheriff operations.
Board members requested that contract language explicitly preserve the district’s discretion and prioritize student safety and operations. Staff said they had proposed insertion of language such as, “use shall be subject to the school board's discretion and availability of buses with priority given to the safety and welfare of students and school operations,” and that they would confer with the sheriff's office to finalize wording. The superintendent noted scheduling for the sheriff's office (including a planned funeral) might delay final agreement and staff would not force immediate execution.
No final contract was executed at the workshop; staff said they would work with the sheriff's office to add proposed priority language and bring the item back for formal action if needed.
