BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Bloomfield School District received three bids on a new school bus and opted to purchase an International bus from Midwest Transit at a cost of $87,982 at their regular meeting Monday night.
Midwest Transit was not the low bid, but met the specifications called for in the bid package. Central States submitted the lowest bid, offering a Bluebird bus at a cost of $86,272. Board members cited the fact that the Bluebird did not meet bid specifications as a reason for going with the International, which was the next lowest bid. The bid package called for a five-year warranty on the bus, and the body to be made of 16 guage metal. The Bluebird had a two-year warranty and the exterior was made of 20 guage metal, which is lighter.
The three bids all included a base price, with added costs for adding air-conditioning and a security camera. The bids were:
* Midwest Transit (International) - $78,883 base price, $7,300 for air-conditioning and $1,995 for the camera for a total of $87,982;
Central States (Bluebird) - $77,972 base price, $6,500 for air-conditioning and $1,800 for the camera for a total of $86,272;
Midwest Bus (Freightliner) - $82,691 base price, $6468 for air-conditioning and $2,730 for the camera for a total of $91,889.
Superintendent Toni Hill said she has some concerns about the Bluebird. She said the 20 guage exterior may not hold up as well on the gravel roads in the district, and there had been problems with the air-conditioning on older models. She said the company told her the air-conditioning had been redesigned.
Board Member Trevor Pulley said it appeared the Bluebird "did not meet the specs."
Board Member John Newell said he recommended the International because it would hold up better on the side roads in the district.
Hill said it would be used as the trip bus initially, with the old trip bus relegated to being a route bus. She said the new bus would eventually become a route bus as well.
It was noted that the Bluebird had a 220 hp diesel engine, while the International had a 240 hp engine.
Hill said her only cocern with the International was that it would not meet new EPA emission standards that would be coming out this summer. She said new diesel engines would require a fluid additive to met new emission standards. The International was not designed for the fluid additive, but the Bluebird was.
Board Member Ryan Mayo asked if that meant the International would have to be retrofitted to meet those standards if the board opted for the International.
Hill said the whole Bloomfield School bus fleet would not meet the new standards. She said it was hoped the fleet would be "grandfathered in" so they didn't have to meet the new standards. That would include the International.
Mayo made a motion to purchase the International, and it was seconded. It passed by a 5-0 vote with Mayor, Pulley, Newell, Vince Lockhart and Bill Robison present. Board Members David Battles and David Cooper were not present.
In other business, the board approved changes to the 2014-15 Student Handbook as recommended by a committee which included Principal Dustin Hicks.
One of the changes in the High School Handbook dealt with possession and use of cell phones and other mobile devices on the campus.
Hicks said the new policy would allow for possession of mobile devices on the campus, use of the devices would be prohibited during school hours (7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). He said they could be authorized for use by administration or staff. He stressed they could not be used without authorization.
"We want to teach them to use them responsibly," said Hicks.
He said any use for taking pictures, posting to social sites or unauthorized calls would be met with disciplinary action.
Seth McBroom, Middle School Principal, said he was holding off on adopting a new policy for cell phones and mobile devices in the Middle School for a year to see how the new policy fared in the High School.
The list of proposed changes to the School Handbook was lengthy. It dealt with student supervision before school, transportation misconduct and student privacy and searches (lockers, desks and all electronic devices will not be considered as exempt from searches). The policy would also allow the use of drug detecting canines. Other changes included meeting non-discrimination laws in services to students and dealing with and reporting violations of the disciplinary code, among others.
In the high school, further criteria was added for early graduation, more clarifications were given for students to recover lost classroom credit which could make summer school mandatory for some students.
With little discussion, the board approved the changes to the Student\ Handbook.
Hill presented a lenghty list of changes to the Board Policy manual. Many of them dealt with the Wellness Program and the Healthy Hunger-Free Act. There were several non-discrimination requirements that were added, including posting of non-discrimination signs. A section was added prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes. A new policy for evaluating the superintendent and principals under the Department of Education and Secondary Education (DESE) was recommended. Also a new policy for paying for lunches was recommended, and a policy providing confidentiality for students receiving free and reduced lunches. Hill said she did not recommend changes to the evaluation of teacheres and support staff and changes to the meal charges procedure.
Hill then presented a list of the proposed changes, and the board approved the changes by a unanimous vote.
The board approved a new policy for required signatures on all checks written on district accounts. Currently the president, treasurer and superintendent are authorized to sign checks, with two signatures required. Hill proposed that signatures be scanned into the bookkeeping computer system and be used to electronically sign checks. She said this would make it easier for the president and treasurer.
Pulley asked about security and protocal to protect district accounts from fraud.
Hill said the district would follow recommendations of the auditor, and all safety protocols would be in place. She said the bookkeeper would not be able to print any checks without authorizaiton of the superintendent.
"As long as we satisfy the auditors, I'm okay with it," said Mayo.
Hill then addressed pay for staff extra-curricular activities. She said some of the pay had remained the same for years, and it was "extremely low."
She recommended the following changes:
The pay for choir and band staff extra-curricular activites pay should be increased from $1,500 to $2,500; the pay for an assistant basketball coach be raised from $1,500 to $2,000 and for a volleyball assistant coach raised from $1,200 to $1,700; and the pay for the cheerleading coach be raised form $1,500 to $2,000.
Mayo made a motion to approve the changes in pay for those positions, and it was approved by a uninimous vote.
Hill informed the board that the bus fleet had passed the state inspection with a 100 percent rating. She said the state average was 84.6 percents. She then commended bus maitenance supervisor Terry Bryeans for doing an outstanding job with the bus fleet.
A special meeting of the board was set for June 24 at 8 a.m., to make end-of-the-year adjustments , pay bills and approve a budget for the 2014-15 school year.
During executive session, the board approved the following:
* Ryan Mayo as assistant softball coach on a volunteer basis,
* Casey Karnes as HS cheer coach,
* Marcia Eggiman as MS cheer coach,
* Charlotte Phillips as Elem science scholastic meet,
* Casey Karnes as HS Pep Club sponsor,
* Lucas McKinnis as HS Quiz Bowl sponsor.