Williamsburg Independent Schools plans to purchase a new school bus after learning two of the district’s current buses will not pass inspection.
“They are too old to pass inspection,” said Superintendent Tabetha Housekeeper. “While we know we don’t have additional funds this year, we have to get children to school. This has to be a priority.”
Housekeeper credited Finance Officer Dalton Sizemore and Director of Transportation Scott Hamblin with developing a financial plan to purchase a new bus.
The district currently has five bus routes with four full-size buses and one small bus purchased last year. The smaller bus seats 22 students, and each of the full-size buses seat approximately 58 students.
“What that means for the school day is schedule changes,” said Housekeeper. “It puts our families at a disadvantage.”
The district explored financing through the Kentucky Interlocal School Transportation Association (KISTA) program, which allows districts to purchase school buses through a bus-loan program, but the window to apply was not open yet.
“There’s no way to get around that until later on in the year, but we need a bus now,” said Sizemore.
Hamblin contacted Boyd CAT and to purchase a new 84-passenger Boyd CAT for approximately $270,000.
It will be financed through Daimler Financial under a ten-year loan at six percent interest, making the payment for this year $29,275.
According to Sizemore, the district has money in an escrow account to help pay for the bus. However, those funds cannot be moved unless they are tied to a category one or category two project in the district’s facilities plan.
“We’ve kind of went through some different avenues on how to pay that off so we’re not paying a ten-year loan at six percent, and it would be to contact the school’s Facility and Construction Commission to potentially forego our $3,000 a year for the next 20 years,” said Sizemore. “That would ultimately open up those escrow funds to be able to pay that bus off with those funds that are already in our system.”
Sizemore said he hopes to pay it off at the end of this year or beginning of next year.
The board unanimously approved the contract between Williamsburg Independent Schools and Daimler Financial for the purchase of a new bus.
