School bus safety seat install tabled

Since the Newton Community School District’s supervisor of transportation was not able to attend Monday night’s online school board meeting and provide feedback for a $90,485 bid to install safety seats on nine school buses, members agreed to table the request until June.

As of October 2019, Iowa law requires all new buses purchased by school districts to come equipped with seat belts and other safety accessories. However, the law does not demand current fleets to be retrofitted, but it is understood new buses will be cycled in to replace older models.

NCSD Director of Business Services Tim Bloom said the district met with Curt Roorda, the supervisor of transportation, to discuss possible options for Newton schools. From what Roorda researched, the district could retrofit some of its 30-bus fleet. Holland Bus, Inc. submitted the aforementioned bid to administrators.

If the school board agreed to the purchase, it would be paid for using Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) funds, as budgeted in July 2020. This funding stream is used solely for infrastructure needs — like reconstruction, repairs and remodeling — and school district property tax relief.

“We’re hoping this would be a good addition,” Bloom said. “Right now the only buses that have the safety belts on them are our special needs buses we use in the district. So this would provide us some more detail with some buses that would have the safety belts.”

Another contractor submitted a bid but suggested it would not retrofit the buses. Instead, the company recommended the school agree to a 10-year lease for new buses. Bloom said the retrofit option would extend the usefulness of older vehicles acquired around 2012, lasting for another eight to 10 years.

Roorda is also presently researching quotes for two new bus purchases, which are expected to be placed on the next agenda, too. Since Roorda was not there to provide the board with more information and context, Bloom said he was OK if members wanted to table the action item.

Cody Muhs, vice-president of the NCSD Board of Education, asked if the retrofitted buses would also be equipped with the additional safety accessories, such as hand rails, a second stop arm, fireproof crash barriers and exterior boarding lights, which are required for new buses.

“Did we consider any of those other things? Do we believe that seat belts are a priority over some of those other safety items? I just hadn’t heard what our thought process was there and was wondering about that,” Muhs said.

No one could give a clear answer. Bloom said Roorda would be able to speak on those concerns and provide “more exact information” on the buses at the next meeting. Robyn Friedman, president of the school board, said it was probably appropriate to table the item until then.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com