Garfield 16 approves purchase of three buses and leases propane fueling station

The Garfield County School District No. 16 board on March 11 approved the purchase of two Blue Bird Vision conventional buses at $173,320 each and a Blue Bird Girardin 14‑passenger Micro Bird Type A at $110,889, and authorized moving forward with a leased propane fueling station from Ferrellgas.

Nathan A. Humphrey, the district’s chief of operations and innovation, presented the Transportation Department proposal. He said the conventional buses would require aftermarket installation of air conditioning and electric driveline retarders and that camera and tracking systems are not included in the listed unit prices (those systems would add about $3,400 per unit). Humphrey also cautioned the board that the price on conventional buses increases by $2,500 per unit effective March 31 and that Blue Bird reserves the right to adjust pricing for components subject to undetermined federal tariffs.

Board members voted on two separate motions. First, the board approved purchasing the buses and micro bus (motion M/S Baker/Stewart). Second, the board approved moving forward with a lease with Ferrellgas for a propane tank and construction of a fueling station at the Transportation & Maintenance building (motion M/S Stewart/Baker). Both motions carried by roll‑call votes: Brent Baker, Keith Gronewoller, Samuel W. Stewart and President Vincent T. Tomasulo voted yes; Kimberly S. Whelan was recorded absent.

The district packet states the purchase-price totals are $173,320 per conventional bus and $110,889 for the Micro Bird Type A. The proposal lists optional and required extras that will increase total program costs: after‑market air conditioning and driveline retarders, and optional camera/tracking estimated at $3,400 per unit. The district also evaluated purchase versus lease options for a propane fueling station: purchasing the station was listed at $64,459 with fuel at $1.77 per gallon; leasing the station would result in fuel costs estimated at $3.30 per gallon. Humphrey noted that the fueling site would require power to be installed.

The board did not identify a specific funding source during the motions; the Transportation proposal states expected delivery for conventional buses in early September and earlier delivery possibilities for the Micro Bird. The motions recorded only the approvals and vote tallies; no amendment or budget appropriation detail was included in the meeting minutes.

The board’s approvals mean the district will proceed with the procurement and with the leased propane fueling arrangement, and staff will complete next steps for purchase, aftermarket equipment installation and fueling‑site preparations.