School board buys two buses
By Anne Blankenship — Daily Freeman-Journal Staff WriterThe Webster City School Board approved the purchase of two new school buses Monday night during their regular session.
Transportation director Ted Larson reported that the new 4-year-old preschool program has necessitated the purchase of a new 65-passenger bus. Superintendent Mike Sherwood said the funds for the bus were included in the grant the district received earlier this summer.
Bids were received from Thomas School Buses, $77,894, and Blue Bird Buses, $76,988. Larson recommended the Blue Bird 65 passenger bus as it was in stock and available immediately. The bus also included a camera surveillence system, he added.
The board also approved the purchase of a 72-passenger bus from Blue Bird at a cost of $84,811. The bus will be available the first week in October and will replace an 18-year-old bus still being used in the school's fleet. Larson said he would like to see a camera installed in that bus as well.
Funds for the 72-passenger bus would come from the 1-cent sales tax and the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, according to Sherwood.
Ag instructor Kurt Veldhuizen and three FFA students, Nick Brim, Garret Johnson and Tyler Raygor, presented a request for the annual homecoming t-shirt fundraiser. The students said the members hoped to raise $5000 to help offset the costs of travel expenses to the National FFA convention.
The board also learned that the building and trades class would be constructing a home located on the adminsitration building property. Sherwood said 19 students from Webster City, Northeast Hamilton and South Hamilton are enrolled in the course.
Sherwood said the project was underway and workers were starting to dig the basement, and will soon pour the foundation. The home has a 1500 sq. foot floor plan, Sherwood added.
The board also went into closed session as noted in Iowa Code 21.5a to "review records which are required or authorized by State or Federal Law to be kept confidential or to be kept confidential as a condition for continuation of Federal Funds." Following the closed session, the board tabled any action regarding a request for admission of a student.
