Henry County Schools approved the purchase of twenty-five new school buses during the November meeting. The 2021 bus purchase is the first of five annual purchases.
Education SPLOST VI budgeted funds to buy a total of 125 buses. Voters approved education SPLOST VI earlier this year.
2021 Bus Purchase
The twenty-five new school buses include the following:
- Fifteen 72 passenger buses
- Five 48 passenger special needs with lift buses
- Five 14 passenger buses
All buses will have air conditioning. In addition, the 72 passenger buses will be powered by propane. The other buses are gasoline-powered.
The school district is purchasing the buses through Yancey Bus Sales on a state contract. The purchase price is $2,567,250.00. In addition, the county will receive a $200,000 reimbursement from the state for buying alternate fuel buses. The cost to E-SPLOST VI will be $2,367,250.00.
The school system anticipates delivery of the new buses before May 2022. They plan to introduce them to the fleet when the 2022–23 school year starts.
Education SPLOST VI update
As of October 2021, the school district has expended $541,900.50 in E-SPLOST VI. This includes the following:
- $41,700 for new elementary school (Willow Lane)
- $324,816 for Dutchtown High School addition
- $175,384.50 for school entrance access control
Both the new elementary school and access control projects are presently in design. The district awarded the construction contract to expand Dutchtown High School last month. Contract documents are concurrently in review. District staff anticipate construction starting in either late November or early December. The contract completion date is February 2023.
Other projects starting soon include exterior modifications to Fairview Elementary School and the first group of technology upgrades. Like the bus purchases, there are tech upgrades each year.
Featured image shows Henry County Schools propane-powered buses with E-SPLOST VI text. Photo credit Henry County Schools.
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