Alto ISD approves bread, milk bids, buys new bus
Budget amendment passed to pay for facility repairs
BY LELAND ACKER

The newest addition to the Alto fleet is this 2008 Thomas 72-passenger bus which features increased visibility for the driver. The purchase was made during an earlier board meeting, with the bus being recently delivered. Superintendent Dr. Ray DeSpain said Alto should purchase a new bus every two years to keep the fleet up to date.

Alto ISD has a new school bus, and trustees toured the new vehicle prior to Monday's meeting. The new bus is a 2008 Thomas 72-passenger bus. Superintendent Dr. Ray DeSpain said the bus features safety improvements and better visibility for the driver. He said school districts the size of Alto should purchase a new bus every two years.

"We budget half of a bus in every annual budget," he said.

During the "positives" portion of the meeting, Boardmember and Vice President Greg Duplichain commended Boardmember Jay Jones on a good job working with the summer baseball league. Mr. Jones reported there were four T-ball teams, 15 baseball and softball teams and one softball team that went to state. He also reported there were 215 children who participated in summer league this year. Mr. Duplichain noted the summer league was not affiliated with the school district, but added "I like to see good things happen with the kids."

Dr. DeSpain informed the board that several facility improvement projects were underway, with the carpeting and painting wrapping up this week. He said crews will begin paving today and continue for one week.

Areas of the campus being paved include outside the cafeteria by Cherokee Paving and the high school parking lot by Advance Paving. To pay for paving, Dr. DeSpain asked the board approve a budget amendment to move $39,000 from the administration wages and salaries account to the maintenance account. The board approved the ammendment.

The board approved bids by Borden to supply milk and dairy products for Alto ISD cafeterias and Flowers to provide bread.

Present were Dr. DeSpain, Faye Hudson, Board members Duplichain, Lee Pearman, Randy Low, Jones and Britton Tilley. Absent was Board President Freddy Johnson, who is on vacation.