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The CPCISD board approved an expansion to bus area awning that will aim to cover the pre-K playground on the left. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
Bus purchased under budget
After years of using an “antiquated” camera system that has suffered malfunctions and had poor quality, a new camera system is to be installed at the Como-Pickton CISD campus after the board approved the funds Monday night.
“One of our biggest frustrations and headaches we have as administrators is when you have a problem with student discipline or something happening on campus, the principals can’t pull it up to see who it is,” superintendent Dr. Greg Bower said. “Or because the system is so old and grainy, you can’t make out who it is.”
Maintenance director Jason Blanchard said the infrastructure around the current system is failing, and the new system should be able to move the video from DVR to a network configuration, which typically has higher-quality cameras and provides more flexibility for future additions.
“I’m going out a couple times a week and piecemealing stuff back together just to keep the wheels on the bus,” Blanchard said.
While Blanchard had called the system “antiquated,” technology director Joe Newman said that term was generous. The new system’s installation will take about a week, and some new pieces of the older system might be kept as temporary backups.
“I can’t find anyone who has been able to tell me how old our camera system is,” Bower said. “That no one knows should be an indicator that it’s probably time to replace it.”
The total cost of the system comes to roughly $46,000, and the funds should be covered under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds received by the district.
In other items, the board approved the $67,900 purchases of a bus as part of a longer goal to update the district’s bus fleet. Bower said he aims to budget for one bus every year, and this year, $100,000 had been set aside.
“That gives us a little bit of flexibility because it’s $30,000 we could use,” Bower said. “Last year, we blew an engine and had to replace the engine. It gives us an option at the end of the year or a month or two down the road if we find a vehicle that could start rotating out our car fleet.”
Once delivered to the district, transportation director Jeff Matthews will also have a final opportunity to reject the bus if it does not meet his standards.
The board also approved two additions to a bus area awning along the east side of the elementary building. One addition was budgeted this year and came to about $13,000. It would add on to a standing awning that is planned to be expanded down the bus driveway. Initial additions would cover the pre-K playground.
“It would provide some sun relief to our kiddos in pre-K and our teachers who are out there constantly,” Bower said. “When we get down to the last section, we’ll put it down on the {north] end.”
Bower proposed the board could approve another addition with its funds coming from the district’s fund balance. The district currently has seven months of operating cost in its fund balance. Board member Jim Murray pointed out the expansion of the awning could take six years, and he was behind the proposal of using general funds to speed up its construction.
“With the money that we have, this is the richest this school district has ever been,” Murray said. “I’ve been on this board since 2007, and when I got on it, we had $21,000 in our fund balance.”