News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Van Buren County Schools will begin the process to replace lights at schools across the system
The School Board approved a $122,000 bid, the highest of the bids. Director of Schools Jared Copeland said the board received five bids but only the Poplar Hill bid included the school system’s auditorium.
“I think at this point in the conversation it’s a preference thing,” Copeland said. “I think these other quotes, I’ll just speak freely when we get into these prices, I think barring when they didn’t state the auditorium I think they’ll meet requirements. It’ll change out the fixtures but nothing else.”
The winning bid also included bug lights and dimmers for light fixtures while the other bids did not. Van Buren County Schools Purchasing Director Renee Guy said the dimmers save the school money.
“It’s energy saving big time,” Guy said. “Just because I pay the bills. It really is, it has saved us quite a bit.”
Copeland said the project is on a deadline as the plan is to use a sum of $48,000 in ESSER funds to pay a portion of the project. Copeland said the funds have to be spent before the end of the year.
“It is already in the budget for the project,” Copeland said. “So the main thing is it has to be spent and the check has to be written by December 15th. We got time but we don’t have all of it.”
Copeland said the school will use general-purpose funds to pay the difference. Copeland said the project could take about eight weeks to complete. Copeland said the auditorium desperately needed new lights.
