Blairsville, GA – The Union County Board of Education held their regular monthly Work Shop and Meeting on Tuesday, Sep. 19, 2017, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Union County Schools offices. Superintendent Dr. Fred Rayfield and all Board Members were present.

UCS Superintendent Dr. Fred Rayfield

Following preliminaries, discussion about the acquisition of school buses ensued. Dr. Rayfield deferred to Stanley Garrett for an explanation of the bids that were received. Garrett said the prices he received from Blue Bird were $100,999 for a regular 72 passenger flat nose diesel bus and $107,900 for a 54 passenger handicap accessible flat nose diesel bus. He said this includes air conditioning, cameras and GPS, all factory-installed. Garrett said Thomas quoted $101,348 for a regular 72 passenger flat nose diesel bus and $106,655 for a handicap accessible 48 passenger flat nose diesel bus, also with factory installed air conditioning, cameras and GPS. He said the prices for handicap accessible buses are always more because of the flat floor, tie downs and extra suspension necessary to support handicapped passengers.

Garrett explained that flat nose buses are much easier to turn around and see out of than long nose buses. That, he said, is why there are bids from only two companies; no one else makes flat nose buses. He said there are many locations in Union County where only a flat nose bus can turn around.

UCS Transportation Director Stanley Garrett

When asked by Board Chairwoman Cindy Odom what he would recommend as head of school transportation, given the prices were so close, Garrett said he would go with Blue Bird because all of our current buses are Blue Bird buses and we have an inventory of parts for them. To purchase a different brand of bus would mean adding a whole new inventory of parts. Also, he said, Blue Bird buses are riveted together, whereas Thomas buses are screwed together; and that, he said, is a big plus for Blue Bird because screws will back out over time, which would compromise safety and add to maintenance costs. Garrett also said he feels that Blue Bird buses are very well built and Blue Bird has been outstanding regarding any warranty issues that have arisen in the past. Garrett said he is still driving a 1990 Blue bird bus and said it’s as sturdy now as when it was new.

Dr. Rayfield explained, regarding the number of buses being considered, that most schools have a rotation schedule for their buses. Somehow, he said, UCS has gotten way out of rotation, possibly due to the ailing economy over the last decade. He said that the purchase of ten buses would not completely resolve that issue, but it would be a significant step forward in getting back to a less expensive rotation schedule. Garrett confirmed the issue in a separate phone conversation and added that the State of Georgia stopped the school bus replacement program a decade or more ago, which also caused the halt in bus rotation at UCS.

The Board voted unanimously, on Dr. Rayfield’s recommendation, to approve the purchase of nine new regular 72 passenger buses and one 54 passenger handicap accessible bus from Blue Bird using SPLOST funds.

In other BOE business, The Board approved the school calendar change to designate Sept. 25, 2017 as a make-up day for the Eclipse Event for students. Dr. Rayfield said that day had originally been scheduled to be a teacher work day giving students a day off.

The Board has chosen their yearly required governance training sessions for FY 2017-18 and Dr. Rayfield will begin the process of scheduling those sessions.

The Board approved the calendar change of the October Board Meeting to Tuesday, Oct, 24, 2017 (because Oct. 17, 2017 occurs during the Fall Break).

With no further business to conduct, the UCBOE Meeting adjourned.

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