Arvon Township board approves $57,500 purchase of 30-passenger school bus and plans to sell van

The Arvon Township School District board voted to purchase a 30-passenger school bus for $57,500 from Zaremba of Gaylord, Mich., and agreed to sell the district’s van once the bus is in service.

Board member K. Laramore moved to buy the bus, and K. Hendrickson seconded the motion; the board accepted the measure, recorded as “all in favor.” The purchase was described in the meeting as a 30-passenger bus to be delivered Oct. 9, 2024.

Why it matters: The new bus replaces an older vehicle and will change how the district handles student transportation and vehicle maintenance. The board also addressed near-term operational details: it agreed to purchase fuel for the bus at the Rez Stop and asked Tammy Hollon, school personnel and the district’s financial contact, to investigate payment options for fueling.

Driver training and staffing: The board approved paying for P. Dove to attend driver training and take the licensing test in November if necessary. The motion to cover tuition and related costs was made by K. Hendrickson and seconded by M. DeLine and was approved by the board.

Interagency contact: Ed Simmons, listed on Arvon Township School District paperwork as transportation director at the intermediate school district (ISD), was identified as a contact for guidance; M. DeLine said she had contacted the ISD for assistance.

Next steps: The board resolved to sell the district van after the new bus is operational. The board scheduled its next meeting for Nov. 12, 2024; no sale timeline beyond the “after operational” condition was recorded.