001school board meeting. We are called to order. We will be opening the meeting with a brief moment of silence or prayer and the pledge of allegiance to the United States flag. No one is required to participate or be present for any of these and being in this portion of the meeting is completely voluntary. Miss Rosales. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um today we're going to have a special treat. um a special lady who's going to be leading our pledge. She is the Now, this is a long title, but it's a good title. Cadet Cardinal Catherine Wooling Wolvington, Stone River Brigade Commander and Operational Officer for the Blaze Battalion for Black Men High School. Thank you very much for coming today and leading us in our prayer. All right. And leading us in a pledge of allegiance.
002Sorry about that. Thank you. Please stand as we recite the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Will you bow your heads with me? Dear Lord, thank you for another beautiful day. And today, as we're gathered together to make some really tough decisions, I just pray that you give us wisdom and discernment as we're making these decisions. I also ask and lift up special prayers for certain people that help lead the district with Dr. Sullivan that don't always get recognized. So, I ask God, God, that you bless and continue to give um mercies to James Evan, to Dr. Justine, to Dr. and Finny to Monica to
003Ridley to Brian Renan to Jeff Reed to Tley and if I me and Dr. Martin and if I failed to mention a name you know who I wanted to also include in this prayer I thank you for what you're doing today for all of us God and I pray that you keep us safe and sound in your son's name we pray. Amen. First we have the approval of the agenda. Any comments or questions? Second. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Tibble. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have the approval of the consent agenda. Any questions or comments? Yes, Mr. over onaca um his coaches can't participate until they're approved. Uh, and I noticed on the list that some of these people were
004um, baseball and softball and all like that and football. This I guess does that mean it's for next year since they really can't coach until it's been approved by us? Is that right or not? Yes, because we start triyouts on the 30th for next year sports. Yep. Good. And it does. I just saw where it says 2526. So it is for next year. And I've got one. Yes, Mr. One additional nepotism that came in yesterday. Magoney Castillo Vivis as a custodian. Her sister works there as a custodian, but they're neither one are in supervisory positions. Is that added already? Don't. You were on top of it. Next we have Wait, I've got one. I'm sorry, miss. So, thank you, Madam Chair. So, the request to purchase Rutherford County special ed department request to renew the
005contract for the lease. How much is the lease between Rutherford County and Wesley Foundation for the year? Hasn't it been like 1,500? I thought it's more than that. Let me scroll on down to that. Okay. Um, that was per month, I guess. What page is it? It's on page 66 is when it starts. Dr. Sullivan. Yeah. It appears it's $2,100 a month. Thank you. Yes, Mr. Darby. Is that one of the houses that we talked about um setting aside property to build a facility? It definitely could help with that. Yeah, that's the transition. transition. We definitely can do similar. Yes. And we've got the property. We um did Witworth Buchanan and Smyrna Middle if I recall correctly. We just haven't allocated any funds to the front. We didn't allocate funds yet this year. Yeah. Any
006other comments or questions? I'll entertain a motion. Move to approve. Second. May seconding. Second. Thank you, Mr. Tidville. All in favor say I. I. Motion passes. I don't believe we have any Rutherford proud tonight. So, we have public comments. We just have one gentleman, Matt [Music] Fee. Got to public comments quick today. Uh, hello, my name is Matt Fee. Um, I've been a regular speaker coming to the board over the last year or so. And typically there's one topic I talk about, but I want to let you all know I'm not talking about that today. So, you see, this is the last time I can come up here and say that I am the parent of a Rutherford County student. On Saturday, my son will be graduating from Riverdale High School. I don't know if
007I can cover all the good that this place has done for our son in just the three minutes I get here, but I will say it has been a very welcoming and inclusive environment and has helped turn our son into a fine young person. When he was getting ready to go to high school, my wife and I were very worried about how he would handle that environment, especially after having been through CO shutdowns right before moving up. But he really found a place where he could be himself within the theater department. And there is not enough thanks I can give to all the teachers and support at Riverdale that took extra care and worked with him these last four years. I hope that every student that is in the school system or soon will be
008in the school system will have the same opportunities that my son was able to benefit from in the future, including the prek which he was able to attend at the very beginning. But I have to say I'm very concerned about that possibility as new laws being enacted at the state level and policies here in Rutherford County combined with our population growth continue to stretch resources to the brink. Remember the state of Tennessee ranks near the bottom in per pupil spending for students and Rutherford County is in the lower tier of that category. The good news is that because of the great teachers and administrators here in our county, this school system has had tremendous results for students, including my son. But we just can't keep doing more with less and keep exe expecting the same
009results because local leadership is unable to ask for what is truly needed to maintain the system. If you only ever ask for what you think you can get, you will never get what is truly needed. and I hope that soon we will all realize that. Uh thank you very much and congratulations to all graduates this week. Thank you. Thank you sir. Next we have legal. So first we have transfer student under discipline number one. The board has been requested to admit a transfer student from another school system under discipline. The student is remanded for in subordination according to policy 6.318. The board may deny admissions of any student except those in state custody when a student transfers from another school system while under suspension or expulsion. Director of school's recommendation is to admit and place
010into alternative school. I'll entertain a motion. Move to admit and place into an alternative school. Madam Chair, thank you, Miss Thank you, Mr. Chville. And thank you, Mr. Rosell. I'm sorry. I'm so Do we currently I know we're at the end of the school year, but is there even space? There will be because we are sending a lot of students that they will at the end of the semester. Thank you. Okay. All in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next we have financial matters. First we have fund 141 fund balance amendment. This amendment is to move the current charter school payment transfers of 3,367,842 from 991590 transfers to other funds to 72310312 board of education contracts with private agencies for the Tennessee controllers office. Also this amendment adds 500,000 to the 72310312
011expenditure to cover the additional cost of the original budget for charter school transfer. The increased cost will be funded from additional TISA direct funding RCS receives from the state. You have a recommended motion below. Any comments or questions? I'll recommend I'll entertain a motion. Move to approve. Thank you, Mr. Rosales. Thank you, Miss Darby. Miss Sharp. I apologize. No worries. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have approval of the budget. First we have fund 141. We had a budget workshop on May 6th I believe. Um and then we discussed again on our work session on Monday. First we have 141. The recommended motions to approve fund 141 with revenue of $573,385,825 and expenditures of $581,343,045 as presented in the attached budget document. And again, tonight is our statutory requirement
012to pass a budget with our private act with accounting commission. Any comments or questions? I'll entertain a motion. Move to approve. Thank you, Mr. Tidville. Second. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next is fund 143, which is our centralized cafeteria fund. And for anyone watching, our centralized cafeteria fund is self-funded with uh it does not have a tax rate associated with it. It is funded through USDA reimbursements and student and visitor and staff payments. So this is recommended motion to approve fund 143 with revenue of $26,844,250 and expenditures of $33,53,92 as presented in the attached budget document that is in the deficit. But as we've discussed, we have a requirement to spend down that fund balance and it cannot be used for other things outside of the
013cafeteria fund. And so we're requesting to continue to try to spend down that um account that we have not been successful in spending down the last couple years. Move to approve. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Rosales. If there's no comments or questions, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. We have one more. One more. And the last one is fund 177 which is our capital projects. Recommend a motion to approve fund 177 with revenue of 19,344,516 and expenditures of $19,344,516 is presented in the attached budget documents. And just so the board is aware, nothing has been updated since our board retreat outside of the additional revenue that we received from the county um went towards LED lights for the inside of school. And this fund is at the will of the commission
014as all of them are. So this is one that we watch very closely and I'll be advocating to keep to approve. Second. Thank you Mr. Vaughn. Thank you Miss Rosales. Yes, Mr. Tidwell. I just want to say to those that are watching us approve these uh large numbers that we had uh a whole board retreat and a workshop uh recently about these information that's a lot more in depth. So we're not just rushing through. Yes. Great point. Thank you, Mr. Tidle. There are no more comments or questions. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next we have fund 141 fund balance amendment. And this one was added since Monday. We just received our funds. Was it yesterday or when? Okay. Yes, we just received these funds yesterday um from the state department.
015This amendment is to increase fund 141 budgeted revenues and expenditures in the amount of $5,556,938 to recognize the awarded summer camp grant for fiscal year 2425. For background, on January 22nd, 2021, the Tennessee General Assembly enacted the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act to address the learning loss of students due to CO 19 related school closures. Through this law, all Tennessee school districts were required to offer learning loss remediation summer programs for students in rising grades K8 starting in summer 2021. Provisions of this law were set to expire in summer of 2023 included summer learning camps for rorising grades 1 through three and after school summer learning mini camps, also known as stream camps. However, in the 2023 legislative session, the Tennessee General Assembly amended the act to continue summer programming, summer learning
016camps, afterchool summer learning mini camp stream and learning loss bridge camps for rising grades K through 9 annually. Funds are used for summer work for principles, teachers, educational assistants, and secretaries. There is no local match required for this grant. This also include our transportation portion of it as well. So, this also includes summer transportation um as well. and recommend motions to amend budgeted revenues, expenditures, and fund 141 general purpose, the amount of $5,556,38 as presented. To approve. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. Second. Thank you, Miss Darby. There's no more comments or questions. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have resolution. Resolution we discussed on Monday night. This is the Education Freedom Act. This requires that in order for districts and teachers to receive funds for the $2,000 teacher bonuses outlined
017in the bill, the local board of education must first adopt a resolution affirming they would like to participate in section 4 of the Education Freedom Act of 2025. Do we need to read it again? You do not need to read it. I don't think anything has changed much. Okay. Any comments or questions? Move to approve. Thank you, Miss Rosales. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. And we are working on an FAQ to attach to our website and then send to our certified staff as well. Next, engineering and construction. Career and technical education culinary arts gas line and equipment upgrade for Smyrna High School. The CTE department's proposing installation of a natural gas line to serve as the culinary arts commercial kitchen renovation. This project will also include
018upgrading the current electrical appliances to natural gas appliances. The funding for this project is the innovative school model grant and is expected to be 65,000. Engineering construction has reviewed the request and has no objection. You have the recommended motion below. Any comments or questions? Move to approve. Move to approve. Thank you, Miss Sharp. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Number two, I'll read it. So, Smyrna High School property, Mr. Reed discussed this on Monday. Property adjacent to Smyrna High School is being developed into a shopping center anchored by Kroger. There are some road improvements needed to improve the traffic flow with the school given by the adjacent development which the de developer has agreed to complete at the developer's cost. Developer will need a a temporary construction
019easement for this work. Developer has also agreed to honor the exercise of the option by the board of education of the property in which the board had an option to purchase but is requested that be allowed to have it classified as a donation for tax purposes. Temporary construction easement and amendment to the option agreement are attached. Any comments or questions? Madam Chair? Yes, Mr. Rosales. Thank you. Um I I just want to say that I hope that um other um businesses will think about donating land to to uh the school as they are proposing to donate a piece of parcel because we are looking for land. So that's kind of nice to have that. So, I know that we've talked about having businesses come into partnership and figuring out how they can help us with
020land. So, I really appreciate that and and um so I just want to say that. Thank you. Move to approve. Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Miss Rosales. All in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Thank you, Miss Sharp. Motion passes. Next, we have contract agreement between MTSU and RCS. So this is Riverdale's turn for high school sponsorship with MTSU. MTSU proposes a contract in which MTSU may sponsor activities and place advertising at Riverdale High School. MTSU requests permission to place signage which is detailed in the contract attachment A. MTSU proposes to pay 5,000 per year for 5 years. The contract terms are September 1st, 2025 through August 29th, 2029. I'll entertain a motion. Move to approve. Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next
021we have the bus contract. Bus contract. Current contract for bus services expires June 30th, 2025. The board needs to approve a new bus contract to be in effect July 1st, 2025. Board's been in discussions with the bus contractor since January regarding terms for the new contract. Number of suggestions from the bus contract association and multiple other bus contractors have been incorporated in this contract. The board acted at its last means to do a 17% increase to the bus and mileage rates and to provide a $4,000 amount per bus for the contractors to obtain liability insurance. Terms of the contract itself need to be approved by the board. This will enable a transportation department to begin the process getting contracts executed enable contractors to make arrangements for liability insurance. Draft contract is included in the board
022materials. And then we have two motions. Um first is recommended motion to approve the proposed bus contract is presented including the 17% increase in year 1 with a 2.5 in year two 2.5 in year three and 2.5 in year four. If the board so chooses to pass that contract what has been requested for us is the next one is in order for what we need to be able to pay the payment of the $4,000 insurance. But we'll get to that if the board approves bus contract. Mr. Reed, anything you want to add to that? Okay. Do I motion to approve? Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. Do I have a second? Thank you, Mr. Rosales. Yes, Mr. Have a question. Um, something that was brought up to me recently is priority drivers. We have priority drivers one,
023two, and three. Trey, can you speak a little bit to that and what that is? That's how bus routes are awarded and that is remains unchanged in the contract from the past. Okay. What is We got three different levels, right? Yes. And the first level goes to new contractors. Contractors are they're not contractors. They're drivers that have driven for Rutherford County for two years and they be want to become a contractor. Oh, I got you. So, we have a two-year um I like that term, apprenticeship, where a driver has to drive for Ruleford County for another contractor for two years. After two years of good service, then they can put their name on the list to become a contractor as routes come available. Tier two, and I'm sure I'll get corrected if I'm incorrect, are
024drivers that are already contractors and wish to acquire additional routes. So, it has to go through tier one. If there's a cont if there's a driver out there that wants to become a driver, I mean become a contractor, they get first dibs and there's a they have to submit their name so that we know who they are. They go on a published list. And is that a lottery? No, that would they they I guess yes, it would be once we have their names. Yes. After they've submitted their names, it's it's not a lottery, I don't think. I think it goes in order of the way they were submitted. Really? First come, first basis on lottery. Yeah. All right. And then third tier is that seniority. I thought that was seniority. That's sen that's seniority. It
025basically. So if we go through tier one, you have nobody wants it. Who's been driving for two years? They want to be contractors. They're going to get first dibs. You have 10 routes. You have five that want to do it. You have five routes left. that they take the first five. You go into tier two, you have already contractors who want to pick up new routes, they can submit for those routes and then once they submit them, there's some kind of process procedure. Yes. That that happens. Um if there's any routes left over at that point, then it goes tier three, which is by seniority. Yep. And if nobody wants it, then it becomes an all call. So you could have decided in the first round you didn't want it and it goes through all
026three T tiers and it becomes an all call. you can change your mind and decide you want it. Okay. Thank you. But and that is in the contract and nothing has changed. That's the way it's been for quite some time. Okay. Yes, Mr. Dar. Bear with me because I have several questions. Um, and I don't know who's best to take these, Mr. Reid or Mr. Lee. Um, 2.4 4 on page six of the contract is part of what we had discussed about if a route were to change from a 78 passenger bus need now needing a 90 passenger bus that the contractor that currently had that route would be given I don't know if this is the correct term misery but like a first right of refusal they would be first given the option to
027provide the larger bus and maint and continue to keep that route, but it doesn't, unless I'm misunderstanding, it doesn't quite read that way. So, I'm not sure if there's a better way. What with respect to the smaller route buses, the way this contract reads is is because, you know, previously we required all 90 passenger buses. So, this contract changes that and does allow 78 passenger buses or larger. But for those 78 passenger bus routes or anything low smaller than 90 passenger route, the route has to be specially approved by the transportation department. So if those routes are approved for the smaller bus and the transportation department approves those, then they get the 78 or 82 passenger bus route if that's what they want to run. The way this provides is in the event later on
028that there's a new subdivision um changes happen out there that necessitate a 90 pastor bus then at that point there's the transportation department reserves the right to require a 90 pure bus to be provided for that. That person who ran that route would have the first choice for that. In the event they were not willing to get a 90 pastor bus, this transportation department would have to move that smaller bus somewhere else in the system um to try to, you know, find a place for them somewhere. That's a risk that the own someone who purchases a bus smaller than 90 seats would take uh with respect to anything smaller than 90 seats. So, can you can you tell me like where in that section A I guess it says that that bus driver would have
029the contractor would have that first right of refusal. I guess it's in the section dealing with the size of buses. Um yeah, it's 2.4 capacity. I'm I'm looking under section A. Mhm. Um so um so section A is one tells about you know basically encourages people to have 90 passenger buses. It goes goes on to say certain routes can be approved in advance for um a 78 passenger bus or something smaller than 90. the bus contractor agrees and acknowledges if they are assigned that route, they are subject to maybe having modifications made to their route if changes necessitate a larger bus. Um, that's my point though. It doesn't say that we would be giving that contractor the first opportunity to keep that route by a larger bus. And that was what we had talked about
030when I spoke with Mr. Lee at the meeting when we discussed allowing those 78 passenger buses, we discussed allowing the contractor that had that route. If a subdivision comes in and Mr. Lee calls and says, "Hey, we're going to have to move this to a 90 passenger bus that that contractor then has the opportunity to say, I'm going to get the 90 passenger bus and keep the route or well then I'm giving it up." But it doesn't really speak to that because it actually says um the routes assigned to said contractor are subject to being lost or changed more frequently than a 90 passenger bus. And I don't mind that it says that, but I think we need to add the caveat that they would be given first right to maintain it by providing the
031necessary bus that the new that it is now requiring. This is this contemplates the transportation department handling that internally right now which I think they would do but I mean it doesn't hurt to add that language and we want to add that language in the contract we can add it to the contract. This is that issue that I brought up right about having the 78 passenger buses and to re you know the reason behind it. There's some rural routes that are not absolutely packed full and there's some of the contractors have had trouble with the deaf and and diesel engines. This gives them that opportunity to run a smaller bus if they can so do it. And but I read it in there, but Katie, if you want to add that language, I don't think
032anybody would be opposed to that. That's my understanding that we were after anyway. Well, that to protect them. Exactly. But it's it doesn't it doesn't read that way to me and I have had contractors ask about it. So, I would feel better if we added that language. Um I have several other questions as well, though. Um so, we can I mean, I have my notes here. we can make notes and I guess when I'm done with my questions I can sure that's fine. Yeah. Um it was also brought to my attention that um the way on page seven number three reads um that the contractor shall permit the transportation department access at any time for the purpose of inspection or repair. Is it possible to add in there that that's during their 180day contract term
033so that we're not asking them to allow access during the time that they're not under contract to be working for us? Well, we oftentimes have law enforcement subpoenas, um, complaints, issues we have to address, and we don't have a choice to some extent when we have to comply with those requests. So, um, so we're not able really to restrict when we need to have access to a bus. So if we have to access a bus for some to respond to a subpoena some legal Exc. But this is actually in specific direct to the radio system repair and inspection. There's another section that talks about the state department and that kind of stuff. This is specifically about uh repair or inspection of the radio system. The only comment I would have, and I'm not opposed to
034reasonable access, but typically when we do installations for new services and new buses and new contractors, we do it outside of the 180 days. We have to do it before the school system starts. They're under contract, but they're only paid for 180 days. It's difficult to put the radio system and the camera system on the bus after school is started. Now, if it's a new bus or something happens, then yes, we can do that. But typically, we try and do that before the school starts so that when school is in session, the buses have the equipment that they need. That would be the only time we would ask for access outside of the 180 days would be to install for a new bus or a replacement bus. Okay. Um, I don't know if any of
035the other members have talked with any of the contractors, but I think some of the concern with some of this is that it's so when they own the buses, we're asking them to to bring the bus wherever to have things repaired or installed on it that we need outside of the time that they're contracted for and what they get paid for. And we're not doing any kind of reimbursement for fuel or time or any of that kind of stuff. Um, and that's just a concern I have with the contract. That is something I think the board could consider. Um, whether we want to restrict it to time during their contract or whether we want to look at maybe giving them a stipen when they have to sit for a couple hours somewhere to have something
036repaired. Um the uh I also was going to ask about looking at meeting in the middle on the adjustment for the fuel. I believe their previous contract said it was 266 per gallon for diesel and we've gone up to $4. I was going to suggest it putting that at 350 and trying to meet in the middle somewhere. Um and $4 for the gasoline. There was also conversation I had with some contractors about making the sped buses uh mileage restriction the 125 which brings them closer to a regular bus pay because those buses now cost almost the same as a regular bus. I think that might be all of the all of the things that I wanted to bring up for discussion among the board like I stated. um on Monday. This hasn't gone quite how
037I expected because I was expecting things to come back to the board and for us to have discussion as a board and then for it to go back and then for it to come back this way. Um so these were just some of the things that I think could be helpful in doing the contract. I guess I will amend the motion to include the um the contractor to be given the first right of refusal if their route changes from the lower capacity bus to a higher capacity bus. Um, yeah, I'm I was amending their motion because the motion was already approved. Um, and I'd also like to change the diesel amount to 350 and the gasoline amount to $4 and the sped bus mileage on section two, page 12 to 125 miles. That last one,
038which section was that, Katie? Start is page 12, section two, all the way at the bottom. The mileage compensation from 100 to 125, Miss Maxwell. Yes, I was Maxwell. Sorry. I got you. Is that is that it? Okay, go ahead. Thank you. With all due respect, I don't know why we have work sessions. I really don't because the work sessions is for us to hash out things that we have in certain things. Second of all, this contract to say to sit here and say that we have not been going back and forth and the board hasn't had time to have discussions for these things. We have we've been receiving these contracts along the way. We um they give us plenty of time to bring any concern and here we are on board on voting night
039and then all of a sudden there issues with this contract. I don't understand why we have work sessions at all because in work sessions that's where we're supposed to be iring some of these things out. If there were issues with the contract we should have dealt with them so that we can come in right now and be ready to to vote on them. In my opinion, the work sessions are just a waste of time if we're going to come at the board meeting and that's when we're going to make the changes because we're supposed to be ready to vote. That's what I'm going to say. Mr. Tidle, um, well, whenever we have our discussions at the work session, it does spawn more discussion, especially with those watching and they give feedback, so I understand how
040it happens. But as far as the 78 passenger buses, um, I I I like that. Adam for that. My other point is the notification. Is there some type of Trey? Is there a notification that we typically give to someone? What's that notification? 45 days, 30 days that hey, this is coming down the line route change, a route change or no, see, excuse me. If a change were to happen in this instance from a 78 passenger bus and they were now going to be required to do a 90 passenger bus on a Sure. We could we could give 30 to 45 days. That wouldn't be a problem at all. Okay. to give them time to to to decide if they'd like to make the change and if they do want to make the change the time
041to acquire that particular bus. I don't have a problem with that at all. Okay, that's fair. That is that Do we need to put that in? Can we put We can add that. Yes. Okay. That So, are we amending an amendment or you would be eas amendment and then vote on the motion? Okay. I'm just putting it out. I'm just putting out there in land right now. Um, I do have another question about uh the the fuel cost. Could you explain that particular item, how that currently works, what the numbers mean? I'm sorry. I know you've went over this before, but even I've forgotten now as Okay, so almost 5 years ago, we used 266. That was the average mean index for diesel at that time. This is similar to what T DOT does. It's
042a escalator that allows for fuel adjustments so that we don't have to keep coming back to the board every time gas goes up or down. Typically, nobody wants to come back when it goes down. It's only when it goes up. So, we put this in as a baseline. Um, fuel right now is well over 266. So, that's the reason at the time we did this, the numbers were closer to 450. That's the Midwest average. That's what's utilized by T DOT. So, we use that index for our fuel average. Once it goes over and and um 10% of that, then they're paid a percentage over the difference so that they don't get hurt. If it goes up drastically, we have the opportunity to come back and say, "Okay, fuel has gone up. we we may want
043to make an adjustment to the seat and the mileage rate or maybe it's just the mileage rate and leave the seat rate alone based on fuel. If we were to have something that went drastically up but basically all this is is a way to compensate the contractors if fuel goes 10% over this number they get compensated. Okay, Mr. Vaughn, I made a motion. We're going to approve it as is. We're having discussion. We're having discussion. We'll have Well, there were always motions and adjustments. So, we have to do the amendment first. We have an amendment and we still discussing discussing what's amendment to amendment is to the approved motion that's on the table things that we could have dealt with on Tuesday on Monday. Why are we just We could have dealt all of this
044on Monday. You're not missing. I'm sorry. You're miss I'm sorry. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I do believe we received an email from Mr. Reid this week that said that the contract was not comprehensive, that there were still some things that needed to be worked out. I asked him for a list and he said there's ongoing things that needed to be worked out. So, this is some of these things, but Miss Rosales, to your previous point, these people are going to live and die by this contract, and we want it right. You had said before when we were talking contracts, we're going to live and die by it. Mr. Reed told us in an email this wasn't comprehensive. Sen out later this year as well. Yes, Mr. Rosella. Thank you. I understand that. I'm not
045saying that we shouldn't scrutinize contract. My point is why did we meet on Monday? No one brought up to discussion the issues with the contract. That's why we have work sessions. We have work sessions so that we can talk these out. I want them to have the contract. Right. My thing I'm saying is that that's what we have at work session. We have work sessions so we can iron things out. Whatever issues they are, they could come back to us, make the changes so that we can approve. Now, here's the day that is Thursday and all of a sudden people are concerned about the scrutiny scrutinizing the contract. That's what I'm saying. We're wasting taxpayer dollars at this point if we're not doing our due diligence on Monday to do that. Mr. B, that is
046my point. Mr. Mr. V. I'll get back with you, Mr. Short. Mr. Vot, and I again, I apologize. And those y'all wonder why I'm sitting down here. I'm a little under the weather today. Um, but I'm I'm going to go back and try to refresh everybody's mind here just a minute for the last 90 days. I have met with these people uh three different times for four hours and we have worked through, I thought, 90% of the problems. Um they there were some situations in the original contract that Jeff had sent to their attorney. I think the director's original recommendation was a 5% raise as a placeholder maybe and then that number was changed to 10. And so there's been some back and forth. I don't want anybody to think that this has not been
047addressed all the way through this. Uh Katie, I will agree with you. If you don't like that part about the way it reads, I'm the one that kind of advocated for the 78 passenger. Hell, you can take the 78 passenger out if you want to, but I thought it was an opportunity for people to young contractors to get in to buy a bus that was $50,000 cheaper and and get them on a rural route that would promote the idea. Because if you look at the average age of a lot of our contractors, there's that we're in the plus 50 crowd, most of us, right? And so for us to continue in the transportation business and and promote these contractors, I think you've got we we've got to do something. And I've had this discussion with
048Trey and transportation and Jeff also kind of on the side, you know, what can we do, you know, moving forward? I've talked to Dr. Sullivan about it because we really want to keep the model that we've got now or at least I do. But um so if you want to adjust that, I don't have a problem. The rest of this stuff now, we have all we've talked about that we we I I got transportation to take out the fine system that was put in there in exchange for some other things. We came back to look the fuel rates going to be what the fuel rate is right now. So it finally came down in the last meeting. We're going to talk about the seat rate and the mileage rate. Okay? and they advocated for 30%.
049The seven of us voted for 17. That's where we've landed. That's the long and the short. And I almost think it's disingenuous on some of those contractors to come in the back door at the last minute to try to get us to change these few things right here that we've been discussing. I've been discussing with them. I've been discussing with transportation. I've been discussing Mr. Reid and their attorney about this. So, I just think it's a little bit disingenuous. I don't mean to get upset about this right now, but but it this seems like a lastditch effort to try to squeeze just a few more dollars out of of of the taxpayers of this county. So, I I I think it's we've got to the place that we are. Is it fair? I don't know.
050We're going to find out. We're going to see how many of them sign back up. Right, Caleb? I mean, we've talked about that. We have no control over that. It's their choice. This is the contract we're presenting. Uh, if they want to continue to haul kids, they can continue to haul kids. If they want to retire, I hate to see it, but I guess they can retire. If they want to sell their routes, they can do that. But but but this board, I mean, we agreed. The the seven of us all voted for this what, two weeks ago, 3 weeks ago, this is what it was going to be. So, I I just really feel like this is a last ditch effort on two or three of these items. Katie. Yes, M. Darby, with all
051doom and respect, Mr. Watt, you did have many meetings and we were instructed by our chair that you were going to be spearheading that, but it was there really wasn't a ton of information related to the board and I have been told by some contractors that they were told things were going to be done that were then removed. It seemed like there was just stuff changing quite a bit from what was explained to me by the contractors. So, I'm just trying to find happy middle ground. It's not there is no one way or the other as far as like trying to be disingenuous, I don't think, on anybody's part. I'm trying to respect the job that these contractors have done for this county and for these students for years. And I'm also trying to balance
052what's best for the district. I don't think any of these things that I've mentioned here are unreasonable and you yourself were one of the ones advocating for us to revisit this contract. this week. So, yes, we talked about and voted on the raise. We did not vote on this contract. It was asked to have the contract postponed to this meeting so that it could be looked into further and discussed further. I have zero control over when contractors are letting me know that, hey, we were told this was going to be here and now we're seeing that it's not after our meeting on Monday. So if if somebody thinks that we're going to have a work session and then we're going to vote at the meeting and have absolutely no more discussion if questions get raised,
053I just think that that's crazy. So I've made the amendment to the motion with those few minor changes. That's where it's at. Did you second her? I have not yet, but Mr. Vonzo, Mr. V. Yeah. You know, in my opinion, the trains leave left the station. We've been dealing with this for months. and all of a sudden these things come up. I mean, you know, it should have been done before now. If this was really an issue, we've got to approve this contract because transportation has got to know who's who's in and who's not. And we're running out of time. And uh I mean really, you know, we're you're looking at we're the middle of uh middle of May and it's got to be done by the end of May. And uh so I mean
054we need to we need to vote and approve his contract tonight. Mr. Tidel. Yes. Uh Mr. Darby, if you would I I am very interested in the the 78 passenger bus portion. I don't know if you'd be willing to separate that off from the other two pieces or or not, but I would second that portion. I certainly would like that to be an option for the contractors. Uh I like the point that you made about the right to refusal. And also, I'd like to add in the language if Mr. RB would be open to it to give them a sufficient notice. Let's call it 45 days. Is that unreasonable, Trey? No, sir. Okay. Okay. So what is the amendment now? Uh amending the motion to include the change to section 2.4 on page six as
055discussed with giving the contractor the first right of refusal and 45day notice if the capacity changes. Okay. You were seconding it. Yes, I am. Okay. Roll call. The Let me So that's a You're changing your amend to be to this one item. Is that correct, Mr. Darby? I believe Mr. Tidwell was only in favor of that amendment. Correct. Yes. The amendment's limited to 2.4A to add a 45day notice provision with respect to a route change for a 78 passenger bus and giving that person a right of first refusal to accept a new 90 passenger route on that same route bus on that same route. Correct. So, that was the motion to amend, I think. Is that what Mr. Tidwell second? That's what I'm seconding. Yeah. Okay. We'll do a roll call vote, please. Mr. Va,
056Mr. Vaughn, no. Mrs. Darby, yes. Miss Sharp, yes. Mr. Tidwell, yes. Mrs. Rosales, yes. Mrs. Maxwell, yes. Majority passes. Okay. Does that mean we can't pass this tonight? Yeah, we're going on to it now. We're going. Okay. So, is that the only Let me change my vote. I thought it was going to cancel that. So, I I'll vote yes. How do you need to reconsider? Well, do we need to reconsider? Reed, how we do that? How do we do that? Are you changing your vote to yes? Okay. Now we can go back to the original motion. The original motion to approve the bust contract as presented including the 17% increase in year 1 with a 2.5% in year two, a 2.5% in year three, and 2.5% in year four. and the amendment with as amended
057by the amendment back to 2.4A. Exactly. Thank you, sir. Do I have We have the original. So, move Well, they already passed. That's right. We already We already did. You're right. You're right. Said I said we'll do a roll call for this as well. Mr. Tedwell. Yes. Mrs. Rosales. Yes. Miss Sharp. Yes. Mr. VA. Yes. Mr. Vaughn, yes. Mrs. Darby, yes. Mrs. Maxwell, yes. Passes. Question passes. Now to the question from Mr. Yes. M. While we're here, if y'all don't mind, I handed out a piece of paper earlier for you all to see. I'm going to go over this in just a minute. Oh, okay. Yeah, never mind. Sorry. Just a minute. All right. Next we have um to authorize payment. So this is their request because this is something we talked about and how
058we Mr. Reid has worked with our county government um along with myself to figure out how to pay an advanced payment from one fiscal year for services that occur in a second fiscal year. So, recommended motion. Um, the board authorizes the payment of $4,000 insurance fee in the bus contract as an advanced payment following the signing of the new contract by the contractor for the advanced payment to occur. Um, Sheree, do you have by June 13th? Was this the wording we wanted or was it addition? I think we had an additional wording from county finance. Did we not? I don't think that was the I think this is the goal you're shooting for. Yeah. As long as you were okay with it, that was fine. Okay. I was just making sure this was still good.
059That's what we're shooting for. Okay. Yes. For the advanced payments to occur by June 13th, 2025, contra contracts must be signed at the close of business on May 29th, 2025. No additional advanced payments will be occurred for contracts signed after close of business May 29th, 2025. If a contractor does not fulfill the terms of the contract, the advanced payment must be returned to the board on a prorated basis based on the number of days not fulfilled in the 2526 school year. uh spoke to u one board member who also wanted it to be considered for new routes that we add after I guess August 1st. What payment do we need the board needs to make a decision on? Is it the full 4,000 or is that also prrated? Um so that could be a separate
060motion. It could be connected to this motion. The first part I know that we have to do to do the payments is that part and again the board can do as they wish. Um, but we do need to consider how to pay routes or pay insurance for routes that are signed after school starts. Does someone I don't know if I bit that you were saying, but yeah, this motion here is a product of trying to get money spent this year for a payment that's due next year. So, this is something that we will pass the state controller's office u muster on it. So, the wording you have here, they did um insist that um if a bus contractor gets paid the $4,000 and for some reason doesn't drive the route or drives only half a
061year route that the portion of that $4,000 paid for insurance will be reimbursed back to the school board on a prorated basis. So, in the event they someone got the route and they never drove it, they would have to refund the $4,000. If they got the route and ran only half of it for half the year, they would pay back $2,000. So, that's was a requirement for the from the accounting side of things. Yes, Mr. Max. Thank you for bringing that point up, Dr. S. Didn't I had not thought about that or whichever board member brought that up. Thank you. Um, it would make sense that if we were doing it on a PR-rated basis for individuals who for whatever reason are not fulfilling their contract and they're going to have to pay that back
062on a prrated basis. Seem like we'd want to do it a pro-rated basis for contractors who are joining us at at different times during the year. So, I don't mind making that motion unless there's more discussion that leans a different way. Yes, Mr. Darby. I think it it would probably be good to amend the recommended motion to state that if a contract is signed after May 29th, they will still get that $4,000 stipen. They just will not get it by the June 13th date. And then maybe add on there that if there is a new I don't know how we worded this again, if it's per bus or per route, how what was the wording you used, Mr. Lee? per contract per bus is what we're saying. Per approved bus is what we're saying. If
063a new bus were to if a bus were to sign a new contract after January, maybe they get a $2,000 stipen instead of the four because that's pretty much about halfway through the year. I don't have a problem with that. Okay. What's the amendment? Uh, I make a motion to approve the recommended motion um with the language added that I just said. Do you need me to repeat it? So, for any bus contracts signed after July 1, they will be paid a par prata portion of the $4,000 stipen. No, no, no. Okay. After May 29th, it doesn't really state. It just says no additional advanced payments will occur for contracts signed after close of business on May 29th. Um, I don't know if we just need to continue on there. They will still receive the
064$4,000. It just won't be in advance. Okay. And then we would need to add if a new contract is signed after January 1st, they would be given a pr-rated $2,000 for their insurance instead of the full four. I've got a motion. I think this will work. If a contract is signed post May 29, contractors will will be paid a prorated stipen for insurance. No, because it's not prorated after May 29th. They just don't get it in advance after May 29th. Miss Maxwell, if there Yes, Mr. Tidwell. I'm not understanding what we're trying to do. All right. I think let me see if I can help close the gap here. I I think what the idea is is the way it's worded. It says right here, I think the second sentence or third sentence, for the
065advanced payment to occur by June 13th, contracts must be signed by close of business on May 29th, 2025. For contracts that are signed after that, they won't receive the payment at the same Yeah. until the August payroll probably. Yes. So, it'll just be a later payment for those folks. Correct. That's that's bit one. Uh, amendment part one. Amendment part two is if you have someone if we have for some whatever reason uh contract open up in October or November or anytime during the school year. That would be on a pr-rated basis. Does that make sense? Understand what you said. Okay. Mr. I'm not sure that's the same thing that was being discussed. Uh again, I feel like I'm the troublemaker down here cuz that this advanced payment was I think put off on I don't
066I'm not going to claim notoriety for it, but talking with the contractors, there are some of the single and I call them single shots, the people owner operators that have a cash flow basis and they wanted help with this insurance. So, we devised this plan with Dr. Sullivan's help and and budget and finance. I laugh about this because of that some of the comments been made. Anyway, this is outside the normal contract. Caleb, let me refer everybody to the second part or on page 13. If you go to page 14, the last part of the $4,000 fee to pay for the liability insurance, the last line says if the contractor fails to provide bus service for the full academic year, contractor shall be required to reimburse the board the insurance fee on a prorated basis.
067I think it's taken care of. Honestly, th this this this motion that we've already passed the contract, so I think we're good. I agree that this is what was requested. Okay. To pass. No. Controllers's office. No, I'm saying what what they're trying to amend. Oh, okay. Gotcha. I think the motion on the floor takes care of what we're doing. What they're trying to accomplish is already accomplished in the contract if I'm reading it right, but I may not be. Mr. Derby, I think the question came from a contractor that if a route opens up in January and so they're adding a new bus under their business in January, are they going to get the full $4,000 for that bus or are we prrating that $4,000 because they now are only serving half of the school
068year? It would be prrated, right? It'll be prrated. Okay. But right now, the only proration you guys are talking about is them having to pay us back if they don't run a route. We're talking about them adding a route that will be taken care of when the new bus contract is signed because that would be something a contract for with them for correct in July January won't be signed today. That won't be signed to January. Correct. But if it's signed in January, is the board going to give them the full 4,000 or is the board going to give them 2,000 or a prrated amount? Based on and I'm interjecting and I'm going to read the sentence page 13. The contractor shall be paid an annual fee of $4,000 for each contracted bus approved by the
069board to operate assigned by the board. There is no time. There is no after August, there is no January. So what this says is if they sign a contract in October, they get $4,000. They sign a contract in January, they're getting $4,000. If they sign a contract in February, they're getting $4,000. It's the way this contract reads. Correct. That's why it was brought up about whether the board wanted to do that or whether they wanted to prorrate if they they sign a contract in April. Are we paying them $4,000 for insurance when they're only running two months out of the year? That was the question if we wanted to amend it or not. If the board doesn't want to, we don't have to. It was asked by me of a contractor if I add a
070route later in the year, do I still get the full $4,000? So, Leia, I think you said it was annual $4,000 annually, which means that's for a year. Yep. So, if they start in October, that that's their contract year for that contract. Okay. And that means that if they get the but the contract in October, even if they're there for two months, they will still have that route for the the other year as it starts until October, right? Then they'll have to and it'll be up again. So there won't be in essence a prorated rate because irregardless it'll be a full year. I think we're trying to tie the insurance to the contract is a year to year. The insurance is year to year based on when they purchase it. So it m it is.
071So, but I guess what I'm saying though is the first year they would get paid in January if that's the case. And then they would get another payment in July when everybody else gets it if that's when we're going to pay in July or August, whenever the date is we're going to pay everybody. They would get their 4,000, but their insurance would still be going on based on their policy. So, yes, uh, okay. Now, now I was I thought I had it in place before we started having these conversations. Uh, okay. So, Jeff, help us out here on the on the insurance on the $4,000. Obviously, that's going to go out, let's say, in July, June, just July. It's going to go out in July. We have somebody start a new contract in October. What
072does that look like for insurance on the $4,000? Is it the contract will be signed for? And I understood what I understand what Mr. Lee said. Um I understand we're doing contracts. If someone starts in January, it'll be through the end of that fiscal year. It won't be a full year contract. It' be a full, you know, through the end of that fiscal year. So we're not resigning every year. We're going to sign a contract and unless they leave, they've got a contract for four years. One-time deal. So, they're not going to have a contract. Insurance is a completely different from I mean, it's part of the contract. You would have contracts in that case, not expiring now. You would have contracts extending beyond the contract term June 30th. So, that's what we've been doing.
073Mr. Barbie, this may this may fix it depending on what the board wants to do, but we just approved this contract and the way it's written in the contract is that it's for the year. So, unless you guys want to go back and amend the contract again, it's kind of a moot point. That's what I was just going to act. Do we even need the amendment? I think we just I think Well, what we just heard, we're we're good with the just going ahead and voting on the recommended motion. Moving on. Okay. Do I have a motion? Do I have a move to approve? Thank you, Mr. Rosales. Have a second. Thank you, Mr. Vaugh. Roll call, please. What is it we do? Mrs. Darby? Yes. Mr. Ba? Yes. Mrs. Rosales? Yes. Mr. Vaughn? Yes.
074Mr. Tidwell? Yes. Miss Sharp? Yes. Mrs. Maxwell? Yes. Motion passes. Okay. All right. Now, we're going to get to what Mr. Lee was about to bring up. Um, Dr. Martin, Mr. Lee, can you all kind of tag team ting this stuff? So, you have a normal procedure in front of you. This is our route swap procedure. So, in front of you, you have a route swap procedures. Um, in the past we have had that those contractors would submit their route swaps during the time the window of June 1st through July 14th. Obviously, if we're asking them this year to let us know by May 29th, then they're going to then do swapping afterwards. So, with this being a procedure to correlate this with um what we're asking for them by the May 29th of this
075year, if we can move the dates instead of June 1st to July 14th for this year only to be May 16th through May 28th. And based on this being a procedure, it's more of an FYI because they would they would we would have been asking them to sign a contract for a contract that they're currently have. It's a one-time swap deal. They it's it's a thing that they've been able to do forever. If you wanted somebody was getting out and somebody else you were buddies and you wanted to swap routes, you can swap routes. that would not be available to them based on us asking them to sign a contract May 29th. So, this allows them to still have their swap time if they want to swap before they have to sign a contract. Go
076for it. So, there would only be two changes on the sheet in front of you. Um, at that first sentence, June 1st through July 14th, that would say May 16th through May 28th. Again, one time only. And then the very last bullet, applications must be made by July 14th. That would be May 28th. Um, so that gives them time to do that in the window. Yes, Dr. And that also helps make sure when we're doing the insurance payment that we're paying the correct bus number. Um, because otherwise we would have to issue they'd have to reissue the check back to the courthouse and we it'd be an accounting nightmare. So I know that makes him crazy, but that is that's a big deal. Yes, M. was Alice. I'm so sorry. Um, so I just want
077to make be clear on this timeline for May 29th because I want every bus contractor to have the opportunity to sign because I want them to sign. I want them to stay on. I I've read a lot of things and on social media and the impact they have on our children and all that good jazz. So, I know they're vital to our success here in Rutherford County. So with that being said, um there has been some um conversation and saying that they don't have the routes right now and so how can we ensure that they have a route so that they can have the uh ability to make this deadline of swapping between May 16 and May 28 so they can um sign the contract. So, I guess I'm trying to ask about the process
078of when in a timeline of when they can receive their routes so that they can start swapping their uh well, that's going to be hard to do because today is May 15th, but go ahead. Okay. A route is a bus number and right now it's a it's a description of where their stops are. With reasonzoning, those routes will change slightly. They will be adjusted. In other words, if you're in a Blackman uh elementary area for Blackman Elementary and Blackman Middle and Blackman High with the new elementary school o open dependent on the zone lines that are currently shown on our website, your route could be shifted to Popular Hill elementary wise, but your middle and high could be very much the same. Could be a little bit of deviation. We're still working on those routes.
079They don't know that every year. They know if you have a route now, that route is subject to change next year. When we adjust those routes, we don't send people to the other end of the county. We adjust that route as closely as possible and those drivers stay there. That's why Mr. Vault has talked about generational routes and driving in the same neighborhoods forever. We don't and unless they choose to move or there's a new route that comes open that's on the other end of the county and they decide to take it as an additional route. That's their choice to take that route and go to the other end. We try and keep them as closely as possible to where they are. Now with resoning some of that is not especially on high school routes.
080They may unfortunately there's some blackman people that got sent to Rockville to to drive for high school routes. those neighborhoods and those areas shifted. We're still trying to work through that. They will have a route very closely similar to where they are, but all of our elementaryaries are reszoned this year. So, every route is going to change a little. They are guaranteed that route in that same area as closely as possible and we try our best to keep them as close to the same mileage as they were before. that is a route and they are guaranteed that if they sign up sign their contract back they're signing back for the same route. Okay. So what I'm hearing from you say that even though there's going to be a lot of swisheroos even if there is
081a switcheroo and they haven't they're used to this route even if it's going to change it's not going to change drastically it's going to be slightly okay can't guarantee that okay but it will they're all going to change this year because every single elementary is changing they're all going to change so if they're going to submit a contract by May 29th it's that same number if They're route 255. They're going to be route 255 in the same area next time. Okay. It just may not be the same exact neighbor. It's not going to be We're going to do our best to keep them close, but I'm sorry. We're rezoning the whole elementary. So, okay. So after May 29th, they signed a contract, but then for whatever reason, because we can't control everything, um the route
082doesn't end up being exactly where they're at and it's a little bit farther than they had wished. Are they able to are there's concessions at that point because it's a resone at they cannot take the route and that's normal yeartoear and that I mean that happens this year is going to be more drastic than most because we have more elementary schools than we have any other and don't get me wrong when we reszoned a couple of years ago for the high schools it was drastic there was a lot of people that absolutely had a fit with their high school routes they got moved from black from Blackman to Rockville We kept them as close as we can take them. There is no guarantee in this contract of the exact same. All I can tell you
083is we will do our dead level best to keep them as close as possible to what they are. And we've always done that. They are guaranteed a set amount of mileage. You go back to the sped buses wanting to go from 100 to 125. That 100 is a guarantee whether they run a 100red or not. They get paid for 100. Every mile over that, they get paid. Okay. They do a mileage sheet every month. Especially with our special education buses because they change a lot with Atlas students and other things. Those routes change some of them weekly. So, they submit revised mileage sheets and they get paid for the additional mileage. Thank you for that. So, basically, because I've been asked about a timeline. So to get to the May 29 so that they can
084get the really the insurance um advancement check of $4,000 when they sign the contract May 29 the route that they have the area where they're in is where they're more than likely will be at start of 2029. There may be there's going to be some changes but there's they're going to do their best to with be within that area. That's where we're at right now. But there could be other routes that could be changed because it's out of our control, but that's normal. But Yep. That's routing the 32,000 kids in this district. We do the best we can with what new subdivision pops up. All right. Sharp. So essentially once we go through once they go through these procedures, they'll know what their routes are and they'll be able to sign their contract on the
08529th. No, ma'am. I will not have guaranteed routes till the closer to the start of school. Okay. They would they are guaranteed a route. Okay. All this does, and I hate to say this, they're signing a contract for the route that they currently have to get the insurance paid so that they can have insurance on July 1. In theory, typically, we try and give them their routes uh around the first or second week in July so that they have time to drive it and see if there's time issues or whatever, they can come back to us and it gives us time to work with them to adjust the routes, okay? so that we can get our computer system set. They'll drive their routes two or three times and they'll say, "I can't get to this
086many stops. We need to adjust the times 15 minutes." We're not going to have that luxury this year. We're going to be closer to the start of school being able to hand in the brows so that they can drive it and we can get that computer adjusted. Thank you. Any other questions? That's my Mr. Uh just one last question. So just to reiterate what you've already said here that the elementary school routes obviously going to have a lot of change there because the reason same thing for some of the high school routes but there's just not as many high school routes. Middle school probably less change. This really in my opinion would only the this window of uh May 16th or May 15th to the 28th. It would really only affect individuals that are maybe
087wanting a a chance to go from the north side to the south side like some kind they're wanting to make some drastic move because otherwise they don't know for sure to make a drastic move they'd have to change a route. They'd have to swap a route with somebody. That's what I'm saying. Or pick up a route that has become available. Right. But for the the route swapping time this two week period. Yes sir. It really only works in that because they're all going to change slightly. So if they're thinking, "Oh, I want to be on this street or this neighborhood." There's no guarantee that's going to happen even for the person that's currently serving and and there's no guarantee any year. Yeah. All I can tell I what I'm being upfront with because of the
088elementary reason resoning there will be more changes this year than typical. Yeah. Because of the amount of elementary buses that we have. Okay. Those route it will be more so than normal. It's a major undertaking. Sure. And Miss Sharp and we did the same with teachers. We moved more teachers around this year because of the reasoning. Exactly. Is that Miss Sharp? Um, so the bus, what's the life expectancy on the bus or what what is the parameters? Is it 10 years 200,000 miles? What how how can we how long is it 15? 15 I mean statewise now they can go to 18, but they have to have special inspections. They're inspected a couple of times a year versus the normal. But yeah, I mean that that's the law and then that's the same for the
089activity in this bed. I see. Yes, ma'am. Mr. B, u what do you do if you have a route that nobody wants? We have that from time to time. uh if we've gone through the T sessions and and then we go to all call and nobody takes it and we've had one or two of those in the last year or so. We do our best to either have the drivers that are adjacent to it cover it and we pay them additional money for covering that route or there will be a contractor that will cover it either with their current bus or you know run more miles or they'll put another bus on as a temporary measure. We do multiple things. We we still it may be a little difficult but we get those children to
090school. Yeah. We also have a company hop what do I it's always jump but it's not hop skipping what? Hop skip and ride. Yeah. Hop skip and drive. Something like that that and drive. Hop skip and drive. It does not a lot of kids across the county but it if we run into a real really real tough situ it fills in small gaps. So, if I can just come back to this one more time, just so everyone we're completely transparent, we will change that procedure and in the morning, Mr. Lee will email the bus drivers so they're all made aware and notified of that change. Wanda, I'll have Wanda do it. Okay. No. No, sir. I'm letting you know that this is a quirk that if we didn't make this changes, they were not going
091to have the opportunity to swap or they were going to have to sign a contract and then swap. And I don't think that was the intent of what we're trying to do. Okay. Number 13. All right. Transportation bus purchase request. Transportation department is requesting to begin the purchase of buses to supplement the current student transportation system. These buses will be utilized to replace unfilled contracts, provide coverage for added transportation needs. There are two local bus companies with buses available to purchase. Central States Bus Sales has four 90 passenger buses available for $179,286. They also have provided discounts based on the number of buses purchased. Midsouth bus sales has eight 90 passenger buses. Five are priced at 170,000, two are priced at $168,000 and one at 166,000. They also provide discounts based on the number of
092buses purchased. Both companies offered 3 years 50,000 miles. Um, engine construction reviewed the request and has no objection. Um, I emailed the board today based on the conversations we had Monday. And so again, this was not a a business that we want to get into and I'm hoping that we don't have this number of contracted routes. So trying to meet somewhere in the middle. Um, my recommendation is to authorize the purchase of buses as presented if more than 35 contracted routes for the 24 from the 2425 school year are still unsigned or unsigned or unfilled by the current contractor for that route by the close of business on May 29th, 2025. The May 29th deadline ensures that the buses are available for us to still purchase to start the 2526 school year. And again, I
093respect every decision the board makes. Yes, Mr. Darby. Dr. Sullivan, if we ended up with 35 or more routes, would we not need more? Yes, but this is all that's available to purchase. This is Is that There is a possibility, and we've had some conversations, voluntary conversations, uh, and they don't want their names posted, but there have been some contractors that have reached out that said, "We're not sure that we would like to continue to run, but we have a bus that's x years old." they would be I think they'd be willing to work with us and either potentially drive or not drive. It depends on the individual contractor. So, I think there would be some other options out there. I don't know that we could get them all, but we're just trying to fill
094in as much as we can. Yes, Mr. Vaughn. You know, it's uh I think we need to buy these buses anyway. And I'll tell you what the what the issue is. uh activity buses at these schools. Uh I don't think people realize how much they're used. Uh they use for, you know, we have the our employees drive them, but they carry teams to athletic events and people think that's what they're only used for, but they use um more than more than athletic events. The band and RTC and other activities use the buses. Uh the CT uses a lot. The middle schools use the high school buses a lot. And the problem is these buses are getting older. You know, it used to be that uh you could buy a bus and run it as long
095as it would run. We had a bus when I was principal central, we called it Humpty. And it's Humpty, we didn't know whether it's going to make it over the hump or not to get home. But anyway, um, but now the state says you got to take it off the road after a certain amount of time. And I tell you, these these high schools are really going to be in trouble if we don't if we don't buy I say buy these buses. And if we don't need them, I say we we give them to the high schools. And cuz it's if we don't start addressing this problem, it's going to be a big problem down the highway cuz we got to get we got to give those people transportation for the activities or do with
096activities. So thank you sir. Yes. And I don't disagree. Um reason I brought activities to the buses to the forefront was just a question about what would occur if these routes weren't needed and we purchased the buses. I will come up with a long-term plan if we purchase them and they're not and we end up needing them to address activity buses. Mr. Runny and I have been talking about it, I don't know, seven, eight, nine months already about what to how to get this rotation started because we haven't purchased any I think since 2021. The way we used to buy the activity buses, you know, they took that revenue source away. Correct. And there's really no way for schools to buy it anymore. So, yeah, that's something we got to address. Mr. Tidwell, did you
097have your hand up? Yes. U I just want to say I appreciate Dr. Sullivan kind of working on this language adding this additional language to the motion uh from our discussions on Monday. I mean, of course, I stay I'm with Dr. Sullivan the fact that we'd rather have the current contractors pick up any excess routes there are. We know there's going to be tent popular hill. We know there's going to probably be some individuals that decide not to move forward because the insurance thing, which we've had tons of conversation about what that looks like. Um and then you know there is also potential uh contractors have told me that they would be willing to pick up any excess routes that do happen to come available beyond that. So there's a lot of options here. I'd
098rather use our people first. So I'm glad this language puts it in here uh to kind of make it a tentative action versus just jumping into it. So uh I appreciate that. Miss Maxwell. Yes, Mr. Ros. Yeah, I echo Mr. Tidwell's I words. I hope that every contractor picks up the routes. I we can't control what with insurance. I hope it comes through and the and the county picks it up and we'll be able to um that'll be an issue that'll be resolved, but at this present moment, we don't know what's going to happen. But again, I hope that all the contractors contractors sign um and that they they get first um they get they're the ones who get to pick these routes and and the first to do that. So, I hope they can
099um all of them sign and hopefully it won't be more than 35 contracted routes. So, yes, Mr. Tiff, uh are we going to talk about this as well? We can This was just more information. Um and this is just a very rough draft of what our team has put together over the last couple days. Okay. And what I'm what I'm alluding to here is potential bus driver pay scale. And I I think this really could potentially apply to someone who has a bus payment. uh is is leerary of how the insurance situation has played out. Would like to continue driving. Um they could potentially sell the bus to the school and then work for the school if that's something they they would entertain. So I appreciate you putting this together as well and just knowing
100that's an options for those that are very ler of what's going because we know the insurance stand correct me if I'm wrong here. The insurance ain't happening till maybe August, September. That's a maybe. There's a lot of ifs on that. So, um, but yes, I just wanted to point that out. And I also wanted to thank our team because they really they put and compiled a lot of I mean all of it. So, thank you guys for working on this cuz this was way in the weeds. So, thank you guys for this. And while you mentioned it, I do want to there's a lot of conversation around the the RFP and the the dates and all that. Mr. Would you mind addressing that just real quick about when the letter was sent, why the letter
101was sent, when it was, who we've been working with since we voted on August 24th, all that type of thing. Yeah. I ever since u we really ever since the um county learned that the current insurance provider was not willing to provide um coverage for uh the bus contract. There's been discussion about doing maybe a possible new RFP for by provide insurance for just the bus contractors independent and outside of the county bus insurance. Those conversations been going on for several weeks now. uh when the issue came up um I think there was some board vote one night uh uh to send it to the county commission to ask them act on it. After that following week I was in discussions with the risk management office had multiple conversations with um the risk management director
102of the county. Um that following week about what could be done about doing RFP, what steps had to be taken. We had to get involved with our outside insurance consultant involved because the county has an outside insurance consultant that shops policies for us to see what options were available to the county. That was going on. In the midst of all that, also we had the threatened I guess um action by some of the bus contractors to stop driving at some point which um curtailed I guess getting a being able to move forward with the RFP for a while. Um and then um when we had a clear direction about who was going to drive from the county that who was going to drive the decision with respect to moving forward the RFP, Mr. Sullivan sent
103a letter to both the county commission and the county mayor telling them to asking them to if they would um be so kind as to work on the RFP for bus contractor insurance. And all these those steps were in motion immediately after the board action whatever night that was. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that cuz it was just what you you see and and can hear and what gets relayed to me. The questions I got from some county commissioners within within a couple hours of me receiving a letter, it was sent to everybody that it needed to be. So, you I'm just going to make a motion to approve. Second. Thank you, Miss Gonzalez. Madam Chair. Yes, M. Dr. Sullivan, if the if our perfect world happens and we don't end up needing these
104buses, but we have purchased them because I know initially you said the money would come from the uncovered routes, correct? Where will the funding be coming from? Yep. If everybody comes back and we end up moving them to the activity buses, where will the funding for them then come from? We'll do an amendment from some of our unfulfilled if So, you're saying if we go ahead and purchase them so that this would be May 29th. So we wouldn't have we would hopefully not know or we will know that we we don't have 35 unfulfilled routes and we won't purchase. So if we have 35 unfulfilled routes then by that point that late in the game still with two months of of school before we start we're going to have at least the routes to cover
105these. If in the event that we had to to move funds around in other locations we would do a budget amendment to start the year. We're gonna have to do a budget amendment to start the year regardless to move funds because this won't come through until July 1st. This is in next fiscal year's funding. Okay. Max, just Yeah, it's a great question. It's not part of this fiscal year. It's part of next year's fiscal. Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Um Um You guys, thank you so much for this. Um what this is a great start. What I'd like to see on here, this is not comprehensive. There's no bus barn amount on here. There's no mechanic on here. There's no downtown. on what we're going to do. There's no insurance on here for these buses.
106There's no cost for the GPS and the cameras. So, this is just employees. What I was really looking at was the cost of us starting a whole department. We've tried talking to other bus drivers that have been u driving for decades. Uh Ruffer County started this started to do their own bus services back in the late 70s, close to early 80s. Um and they found out in two years that it was not cost effective and they stop doing it. I don't know why we're visiting back again. So, I'm I'm not going to I'm not going to support this one way or the other because this is stupid. Dr. Mark, would you address some of those concerns? I can address insurance. Our our insurance is covered by county insurance once they're purchased by the school system.
107We do have two county owned and Mark, I'm looking at you, Dr. We. We have two special education buses. Is that correct? We have two special education buses I received from Ed Elim today. Confirmation that any buses we purchased are covered under county insurance. Um we discussed I'd like to know how much that cost. Okay, we can get that from it. Dr. Martin, will you address the others because I know that you've increased maintenance and all that. Yes, ma'am. So, or yes, sir. Um Miss Sharp, if you will look on page three of that handout, you will page two is what it would be the cost for just bus drivers. That's just examples. Um on page three, I took those amounts of those part-time and full-time employees, but then also considered so you could see
108a complete driver and bus operation analysis. At the top there, you see the cost of the bus. Um, so using if we purchase the most expensive buses, um, I think we have lower bus rates in there, but using the highest amount for 180,000. Um, and then, um, putting that over the next 15 years, that would be 12,000 per year, even though that cost would be upfront. And then to include your information about maintenance, um, maintenance and tires. Um, we talked with Midsouth to get a maintenance average. And then we also um also talked with them about tires. Those are usually purchased every three years. Um so making that $1,000 per year. Um the first three years. Um the Midsouth has also offered maintenance and oil changes. Um so that would be a part of the
109original cost that would not be there the first three years of the purchase. And then we um for the gas was calculated by um Thomas states that there's an average of 6 to 10 miles per gallon for these buses. So in the middle with eight we calculated at 8 miles per gallon with uh the cost of fuel today. So that's how that was calculated. Of course that will vary and and go up and down. So um then you can see there um in your chart below you will see the gray area the bus drivers and the bus operation cost that's what it would cost. So, for example, in the first gray box, um that is for a part-time person with zero years of experience. Um the cost and if you had a full-time person, the
110cost for that driver and the bus operations, that's the combination of those costs there. Um if you want me to look into, you said a barn. I mean, we're going to have to have somewhere to park them. Yes, ma'am. So, we were we're going to have to have a mechanic and there there's nothing on here. I apologize, but there's nothing on here about the dime downtime. And we're going to be at their mercy when we we take a bus over there. And you know, we these buses, I'm sure, don't come with the GPS and they don't come with the cameras. We spent millions on those for the buses that we already have. So, what I'm looking for is a comprehensive cost of of all of this. And this this a very good start. Miss Roselle.
111Oh, I was just going to say that the way I read this motion is is um if more than 35 contracts arrives are still unfulfilled for 2425. So, we're not really committing um the district to say they're going to buy these buses right away. They're literally going to have to wait to see how many routes are being fulfilled. And if the I hope we don't have to purchase them. Me, too. I hope that they you you guys please get all these routes. Get them. You get first dibs. Please take them. Um but this says if more than 35. So you we have to meet the threshold of at least 35 and over. So if we don't if we hit 34, we're not going to be buying buses, right? Am I correct? Am I interpreting this
112correctly? Yeah. So, we're not committing ourselves to buying the buses right now. So, I just want to say that that's how this motion reads. Can I clarify? But on May 30th, if we have more than 35, we correct. But yes, I understand that. But the threshold still again is 35. That doesn't change. That was the point I'm trying to make. More than 35. So 35, we'd still would not. But if you're at Exactly. But if 35 over 36, then yes, we do. So again, I'm going to repeat myself. Please, please get the rounds. Please do that. Thank you. I'd like to make amendment, you know, for us to buy them anyway just because of the, you know, uh they're not going to get any cheaper. And we're going to be buying these and you know
113for activity buses and nothing else just to help the high schools out cuz if we don't I mean we're going to run into some serious problems if we don't have activity buses and you can't have activities if you can't get them there. So I mean I think we need to go ahead and buy them while we can. You want to second Mr. I sked in already. No, no, his amendment. Oh, you're being amendment. Yeah. Oh, my bus is in to give him the activity bus. Why can't we just wait and see what happens and then come back to drawing table? I I think we just need to see what happens with these buses sitting the contracts and then we can come back and figure that out whether we need the extra activity buses or not.
114Well, sadly it doesn't look like there's a second to his amendment anyhow. So, everybody ready to vote? Okay. So, let's vote. Roll call, please. Mrs. Rosales, yes. Mr. Vaughn, yes. Mr. Tidwell, yes. Miss Sharp, Mr. Vaugh, Mrs. Darby, yes. Mrs. Maxwell, yes. Majority passes. Okay, next. summer camp and then summer camp bus contract uh for approval. Um caveat that we would like to include in this is that in order to be considered for a summer contract, you need to we sign your 2526 contract. Um Mr. Lee, I may have butchered that. Is that correct? Close enough. Yeah. Okay. I have a motion to approve, Mr. [Music] Okay, good. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. I'll be very brief. County Commission and um director's update financial report county commission meeting is tonight
115to officially approve I believe the bond resolution for Lever High School and Batty Middle School. And then today I had my annual toss legal update. And so once I get all of that information from TOSS, I'll send that uh very similar to what TSBA does. So they do it in conjunction with each other, but I just have the document once I get the overall information. Um I will get that. The other thing that I think Brian and I both heard this today and Mr. Tidwell, you were the one that found this this year. The good I've gone blank. Um the performance stipened is recurring that was part of the education savings account and so it is recurring. It was in both of them. Um I am concerned this year about performance just because we have
116chased down so many other things. Dr. Chastain and I have talked about it. Um that has not necessarily been our focus all the time and so that has got to get back to being our focus is the education of our students and I'm hoping that we can focus on that. But that extra funding is reoccurring as and I did not know that but they told that's what you heard as well and then toss said that as well. It is in the statute that is that is great. Excellent. Yes, Miss Sharp. Dr. Sullivan, would you please just go through the bullet points on the uh stipulations for the $2,000? Yep. $2,000. Um again, you have to have been a teacher for 120 days. I'm going try to do this off memory. 120 days in the district.
117You have to have spent direct instruction 50% of the time. It is for teachers from the 2425 school year. It'll be paid out after July 1st. And so new teachers to the district that start with us next year. And teachers that were in a different district that are now starting with us will not get payment from us next year. Um this will be in their August check or a separate August check. If all the worlds align and the courthouse is able to do it in July, that would just be a bonus, but we are expecting it to be um in August sometime. It will not have any extra withholding. So, it should be very close to the $2,000. Dr. Thank you. Sorry. Can you clarify that July 1st is 2026, not 2025? Is the payment
1182025 or 2026? Sorry. The fiscal year 20 they it's the way it's worded. It is July 21. July 1st, 2025 is it rolls into us, but that is the state's fiscal year 26. So, yep, it rolls to us July 1st, 2025. Great question, Mr. Rosales, we are putting out an FAQ about that that will have all the facts. Oh, great. We will share that with the board. So, if you all would like to share it, we'll all have the same information to share. Please do. Great. Mr. Flet, you didn't have anything on Monday. I'm assuming we're good for Okay, you've worked hard enough on. Okay. General discussion. Anything? Yes, Miss Maxwell. Yes. I got one something real quick. Um, so I told some parents I was going to bring this up. Um, so I know
119that in the past the board had done some town halls where it gave opportunities for parents to come and talk and address to the board that was more informal. Um I don't know if where everyone is at but in the event that we are going to be doing some um decisions that we consider opening um so to have a town hall of some sort. May not all the time but just if there's specific decisions that were going to be made that we need more parent involvement that we can look into having uh a town hall like we've done for resoning. That's just something I said I was going to bring up. The only thing I would request is in the past those town halls ended up becoming just a a session to attack district staff.
120And so if it is a a board type thing, I think it needs to stay with board type actions and not just an attack on discipline. And the I think absolutely the what the purpose needs needs to be very clear. We don't mind dealing with that. We deal with it every single day, but the purpose needs to be outlined very clear like zoning or something. Yeah. Or just general things that are board actions and not like Right. That's what I'm saying. Specific student discipline. Correct. But that's what I'm I'm sorry. Let me re let me recclarify. If there board specific action to um in to also offer a town hall so that parents can come and provide their input to the board. That's what I was trying to say. So thank you for trying to
121make it clarified for that clarification. Feet too. Right. That'd be great. Uh, James, didn't we have some setup? And we did one, I think it was at Stewart's Creek High School. We set up had the audio set up out there. Uh, I think kind of the purpose I'm not stepping here on Mr. Zalis's toes, but also an access issue, you know, we're kind of here on the south end, give an opportunity to more those on the north end. If we want to have a board meeting type setting up there, that would kind of give them a little more access for those that haven't been able to come down to this end. Is that something we can look back into? member there's there's obviously some pieces to that puzzle that allows us to be able to
122have this dialogue and be recorded but absolutely so we've done some resoning hearings at various locations we did some if you all remember we did some with RSP had the big maps and we moved it around those weren't always televised that's one of the drawbacks is we don't have the technology in place necessarily to broadcast those live like we do here um but it's possible to do that in Stewart's Creek the way that we did it was we were able to tap at their um radio television program with Mr. Bisser or some of those other CTE teachers and they were able to help us broadcast. It wasn't necessarily and I'm not insulting their capabilities. The technology wasn't necessarily the same quality as we have here with freeotion cameras and all those kind of things. But
123we've done that in the past. I think you remember we had some issues with like microphones that didn't as well as good as it does here. Um, it's possible, but it takes a ton of planning and so I wouldn't want to do them like once a month if we could help that, but maybe if the board wanted to do it once a semester or something like that, it's doable. Yeah. Just something to get us on the north end uh just to give a little more access to those that, you know, we're very convenient for the south end, not so much for north. Yeah. And typically when we've had those that's related to board actions, we we label those as like a public hearing. Yeah. And that helps clarify what it's for. So if there's something
124specific the board is wanting input on like zoning or PRZ or whatever it might be, you know, we would try to focus on a couple of issues to try to get input from the public. That's what we've done in the past. Very good. Thank you. If there's nothing else, move to there.