Keota School Board Discusses Replacing Old School Buses

KEOTA – During the Jan. 9 meeting of the Keota School Board, the board spoke with Transportation Director Tom Woltering about developing a plan to replace school buses. Woltering explained that the district used to stick to a schedule of cycling out buses after five years, but hasn’t done this since purchasing four new buses in 2013. The district currently has six buses, including the four purchased in 2013, one from 2020, and one purchased in 2021, as well as two twelve-passenger vans. The two newer buses and one of the 2013 buses are used to transport students to and from school, with the additional buses used as backups or to transport students to activities. Woltering explained that the buses come with 5-year, 100,000 mile warranties. He stated that the eleven-year-old buses were difficult to repair and that it was unlikely anyone would want to purchase or trade-in them.

Board member Jim Tinnes asked if the district could reduce the number of buses it owned. Woltering stated it could get by with only having two spare buses, assuming enrollment stays at the same level and the fans are properly utilized. Woltering suggested rotating one bus per year, then moving to a two-year rotation cycle. He noted that there aren’t currently any state programs that would help purchase new buses, which he blamed on a focus on electric buses, which he called a joke and claimed don’t work well in rural areas. Woltering stated that the 2013 buses were propane models, which he liked due to them saving money on fuel, and that using propane buses save the price of a new bus in fuel costs every five years.

Board member Dan Redlinger suggested trying to purchase a leftover 2024 model bus; Woltering stated he would see if he could find one in stock. Woltering noted that the district used to sell buses themselves, rather than trade them in. He noted that, even if not used, vehicles break down over time. Superintendent and High School Principal Lisa ​​Brenneman stated there is currently 1.2 million dollars in the PPEL fund, which is used to purchase things like school buses. Woltering stated new buses cost around $130,000. He stated he would get figures for new buses and present them at the next board meeting.

Also at the Thursday meeting, the board discussed having a facility assessment done, to inspect things like electrical wiring, HVAC and water pipes, to see what needs to be repaired and what the district needs to prioritize. Redlinger stated he knew someone who worked at the Washington architecture firm Insight and could ask him to come speak to the board about pricing. Board member Billie Kindred recommended soliciting quotes from Insight and Denovo.

The board discussed purchasing a water softener to stop hard water from breaking down the dishwasher; discussion was tabled to give the board time to get more information. ​​Brenneman discussed advertising the fact that Keota has the best test scores in the SICL Conference and a four-day-week to attract open-enrolled students. ​​Brenneman noted that there is a Republican supermajority in the state legislature, meaning there would likely be large changes in education this year, likely including limits on tax funding for Keota’s management fund, which is used for insurance, catastrophic events and early retirement.