Van Vleck ISD trustees unanimously approved purchasing a new $108,000 bus during their regular meeting, Monday, Oct. 18.
Trustees present were Kevin Ward, Tony Kucera, Kurtis Brown, Casey Kile, and Donnie O’Connell, while board members Terry Evans and Terry Blackmon were absent.
The Thomas brand bus is just over $108,000, and payment will include $62,718 in leftover transportation bond money.
“The rest will be paid out of our fund balance,” explained VVISD superintendent John O’Brien.
“This bus is similar to the one we bought last time.”
“We’re also choosing this one because Mr. (Louis) Ryman feels that it would get better fuel mileage,” added Board President Tony Kucera.
“Plus, it seems that the horsepower is the same.”
Ryman is the district’s operations director and researched bus options before recommending the Thomas bus.
The board also heard a bond update from Skanska Bond Project manager Tim Richard.
“We’re looking at holding steady with about $800,000 in uncommitted bond funds leftover,” he said.
“That includes the portion of payment for the new bus, too.”
Richard told the board that he expects to close out contracts with builder Drymalla sometime in January.
“We could do it as early as December, but, you don’t have board meetings then,” said Richard.
“Don’t we need to make sure all of the punch list items are done before that?” asked trustee Kevin Ward.
“They should all be completed before we close out,” said Richard.
“The problem we have is that Drymalla is waiting on their subcontractors for little jobs here and there and those guys are from Houston,” explained O’Brien.
“So we’re working with that as best we can and it’s not our problem – it’s Drymalla’s.”
O’Brien added that he would get with Drymalla later about the punch list items.
“While we’re at it, can we look at some signage to help with things like visitor parking on the campuses?” asked trustee Kurtis Brown.
“For example, when we had the volleyball games, there were lots of parents just driving around or getting lost trying to find the gym or parking.”
“That’s all part of the graphics package we have in place,” answered O’Brien.
“We’re still finishing that out, but it will be added to the brown signs we have.”
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