County Board Approves Purchase Of Four New Buses

At its March 8 meeting, the McDonald County R-1 School District board of education approved the purchase of four new buses.

Transportation director Clyde Davidson presented the board with bids for two 72-passenger buses, a 36-passenger bus and a 30-passenger bus. He recommended that the two 72-passenger buses be gasoline. The district currently does not have any gasoline buses, only diesel. He said the gas mileage won’t be as good on the gasoline buses, but maintenance will be easier. Davidson also noted he has two special needs buses and one regular bus that are out of service.

The board approved the bid for $330,575 from Central States.

Bob Campbell, director of facilities and maintenance for the district, asked the board for permission to bid out having asbestos removed at the high school. He reported the asbestos is in the tile in the 100 and 200 hallways and is the last of the asbestos at the high school. He said it has been there since the building was built in the 1960s. He said there are about 22,000 square feet left and it will cost about $3 per square foot to remove.

The board granted Campbell’s request to seek bids.

Campbell also asked permission to seek bids to replace the tile once removed, and the board approved.

The board approved the first reading of Policy IKF, which deals with graduation requirements. Board member Kim Harrell pointed out there was a section in which a certificate of attendance was offered as an alternative to a diploma. He said he thought that part of the policy could hurt the district’s graduation rate and should be removed. The board voted to amend the policy.

In other business, the board heard:

A presentation from its food service company, Opaa.

A presentation about the gifted and talented program.