Members of the Sulphur Springs Union School District Governing Board are reviewing an Electric Bus Grant Program and agreements with local developers at its regular meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Fair Oaks Ranch Community School.
The district plans to participate in South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) Electric Bus Grant Program, which rewards districts for replacing diesel school buses with alternative fuel buses.
Since it’s founding, the SCAQMD has provided $280 million in funding, replaced more than 1, 600 diesel buses and retrofitted approximately 3,400 diesel buses, according to the organization’s website.
The overall goal of the program is to implement modern, clean and safe school buses for children.
SCAQMD, in conjunction with the California Air Resource Board (CARB), will cover the costs of purchasing the buses and installing the infrastructure for the buses’ charging stations if the district is awarded the grant.
In order to participate in the SCAQMD Electric School Bus Grant Program, the district must purchase buses that are approved by the CARB for funding the Hybrid and Zero Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Initiative Program (HVIP).
The only school bus eligible for this voucher program is the eLion school bus, which is the only vendor to offer a “HVIP Pre-approved Type C Electric School Bus” in the 75-mile range.
Because of this, the district will not hold an open bid for the school buses and will declare Lion Buses as the “sole source” for the electric bus.
During the meeting the district will also approve an amended and restated School Facilities Mitigation Agreement between the district and Vista Canyon Ranch LLC, the new community development planned in Canyon Country.
The agreement gives the district more flexibility to use developer fees and proceeds to support school improvements throughout the Sulphur Springs Union School District.
The district will also approve the release and amendment to the Golden Valley Ranch/Aliento agreement, which should allow for school improvements and related costs to support the residential development.
Members of the board also plan to provide a notice of termination of a Land Use Agreement between the district and Stepping Stones Children’s Center. The termination will be effective April 30, 2017.
Additional Agenda Items:
- Approval of gifts to the district totaling $11,676.91 for enrichment, field trips, STEAM Materials, sports equipment, 5th grade robotics, school music and library books
- Approval of revised School Accountability Report Cards (SARC)
- Presentation of Sulphur Springs District Teachers’ Association Writing Contest Awards for students in 1st grade to 6th grade
- Facilities Implementation Plan Update from Khushroo Gheyara and Jeremy Cogan of Caldwell Flores Winters, Inc. and Yuri Calderon from MillerCalderon
- Announcement of annual STEAM Expo at Mitchell Community School on March 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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