JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD ACCEPTS BIDS, SETS TUITION

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education accepted bids for new buses and audit services during a meeting Tuesday night.

Assistant superintendent Terry Gibbons recommended the board approve the purchase of four new buses from low-bidder Central State Bus Sales Inc. for $238,985. The purchase includes an 84-passenger bus and two 71-passenger buses for districtwide use. The district also needs another 32-passenger bus to accommodate the increased enrollment of handicapped students, Gibbons said.

"Since the early childhood special education program has been started in this district, it's caused a tremendous increase in usage," he said. "It appears our handicapped population continues to grow districtwide."

Gibbons said he will be contacting area private and parochial school districts regarding four older buses that need to be sold. The buses are all 12 to 14 years old and have high mileage. Central State offered the district $5,250 in trade-in allowances for the buses.

The school board voted to accept a nonlocal audit proposal from Larson, Allen, Weishair and Co., LLP for the 1999-2000 school year.

The district requested audit proposals to conduct audits for three school years. The initial contract will be for one year with the district having renewal options for each subsequent year.

The company's first-year fees of $6,500 were much lower than those of three local firms. Larson, Allen, Weishair and Co., LLP has offices in St. Louis and Minnesota and has served as auditor for a number of districts in the state and region. Gibbons said the company's references were all favorable, and their bid was low enough to benefit the district.