By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board approved the purchase of a $312,400 activity bus at its meeting Monday night.
The bus will be purchased from Master Transportation with money from the FY2025 capital outlay budget. The district will receive it in July, and Russ Henningsen, transportation director, said it should be in service by August.
The bus purchase is part of the district's five-year transportation plan.
Board member Derek Yarmer asked why the estimated cost had gone from the budgeted $200,000 to $312,000.
Henningsen said the district opted to buy a Freightliner, which rides better on long trips, rather than a standard yellow school bus. The cost of the buses has also increased by $30,000 to $40,000 in the last several years.
He also said the district would be delaying the purchase of a car and a suburban to maintain the budget.
Yarmer argued the district should buy a standard yellow bus to save money.
"I traveled in a bus with no AC and no seat belts, and I'm perefectly fine," he said.
Jayme Goetz, school board member, said Hays has by far the longest sports trips of any other school in the state.
Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp said the smoother ride will allow students to study on the bus during the long rides.
Board member Ruth Ruder said the district should buy the bus now, as it will be more expensive later.
The board approved the purchase with Yarmer as the lone no vote.
Custodians
The district also approved a three-year contract with BP-Clean Rite for evening janitorial services.
Rusty Lindsay, building and grounds director, said the district has struggled to hire full-time staff to clean schools in the evenings in part due to wages and because people don't want to work evening shifts.
BP-Clean Rite has been providing temporary workers for the district. The contract will allow the company to plan better for employees and the district to better budget for the services, Lindsay said.
Under the contract, no current district employees will lose their jobs or be supervised by BP-Clean-Rite. The district will still employ daytime custodians.
Graduation requirements
The board also approved changes to graduation requirements. The changes were discussed at a meeting in February but were tabled so the Kansas Association of School Boards could review the new policy.
The KASB recommended no changes to the policy as it was presented.
SEE RELATED STORY: Hays USD school board discusses new graduation requirements
The board also heard presentations from the district's librarians and Career X Hays High School recent graduates.